Whole Virus Mass Analysis by Electrospray Ionization.

This article recounts the development of techniques that lead to the first mass measurement of an intact virus. The results of that experiment, based on the method of charge detection mass spectrometry (CD-MS), are described in the context of other ESI-MS approaches to ultra-high mass ion analysis. The limits of current charge measurement technology are described and prospects for improved virus mass detection with a CMOS integrated circuit ion detector are discussed.