Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40044445›Full record

ArticleJournal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry2025

Identification and Mitigation of Pyrolysis Products in Laser-Cut Paper for Paper Spray Mass Spectrometry.

Magnus Rydberg, Alexis Ochoa, Katherine Dayana Barrera Campos, Christine Skaggs, Ashur Rael, Nicholas Manicke

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Interpol review of forensic drug chemistry, 2022-2025.Forensic science international. Synergy · 2026
    Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Magnus RydbergDepartment of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Indiana University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, United States.
Alexis OchoaForensics and Investigative Sciences, Indiana University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, United States.
Katherine Dayana Barrera CamposForensics and Investigative Sciences, Indiana University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, United States.
Christine SkaggsDepartment of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Indiana University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, United States.
Ashur RaelDepartment of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Indiana University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, United States.
Nicholas ManickeDepartment of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Indiana University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, United States.ORCID 0000-0002-2296-0497

Funding

All-in-one Device for Forensic Toxicology Drug ScreeningR44DA056319 · NIDA · WIK DEVICES, LLC · PI WISEMAN, JUSTIN MICHAEL · 2022 to 2024
$2.0M
Combining Separation, Digestion, and Ionization on a Mass Spectrometry Cartridge to Enable Biomedical Research on ProteoformsR01GM149786 · NIGMS · INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS · PI Nicholas E Manicke · 2023 to 2026
$1.3M
Sensitive and Rapid Screening of Synthetic Drugs by Mass SpectrometryR21DA043037 · NIDA · INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS · PI MANICKE, NICHOLAS E · 2017 to 2018
$411k
NIDA NIH HHS R21 DA043037NIDA NIH HHS R44 DA056319NIGMS NIH HHS R01 GM149786
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Paper spray mass spectrometry (PS-MS) often employs laser cutting to prepare paper substrates, potentially inducing localized thermal decomposition of the cellulose backbone. This work investigates how cellulose pyrolysis products and inherent background molecules within the paper affect PS-MS signal quality and evaluates paper pretreatment methods to enhance performance. Comparative analyses of laser-cut and razor-cut paper using mass spectrometry and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis) showed significant differences. Laser-cut paper exhibited elevated MS blank signals and higher absorbance in the 200-400 nm UV region, indicating increased chemical abundance and complexity. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) identified over 20 residual compounds on laser-cut paper absent in razor-cut samples, half of which were identified as known cellulose pyrolysis products. Washing the paper substrates with methanol, water, or dilute nitric acid significantly reduced both pyrolysis products and background molecules, with water showing the most improvement. Analyses of morphine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, voriconazole, and fluconazole showed no reduction in the signal after washing, with fentanyl and methamphetamine exhibiting a significantly increased MS signal, regardless of the cutting method. This work reveals that while pyrolysis products from laser cutting contribute to increased chemical noise, inherent background molecules in the paper also play a significant role. A simple water wash mitigates both issues, potentially improving the overall PS-MS performance for a range of analytes.

Indexed as

Gas Chromatography-Mass SpectrometryMass SpectrometryPaperPyrolysisCelluloseLasersCellulose

Identifiers

PMID40044445
PMCPMC12285879

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.