Analysis of iron nicotianamine complexes by electrospray-mass spectrometry

Abstract

The aim of our work was to study the formation of metal-NA complexes at different pH values by electrospray-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) determination in order to understand the role that NA may be playing in plant fluids micronutrient speciation. NA complexes with Mn, Fe(II), Fe(III), Ni, Cu, Zn and Cd were prepared by mixing appropriate amounts of NA and metal chloride solutions in ammonium acetate or ammonium bicarbonate 100 mM at different pH values. Concentration of metals and NA were between 5-150 µM. Then, metal complexes were diluted with acetonitrile. Samples were injected with a syringe pump in a ESI-MS Time Of Flight apparatus (BiotTOF II, Bruker Daltonics) in negative ion mode.