Metastable decay of peptide ions on a Fourier transform mass spectrometer equipped with an external ion source.

Metastable decay rates of two peptides, RPPGFSPF and PKPQQFFGLM, were determined from ions produced in an external matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization source with a Fourier transform mass spectrometer. An isolation and subtraction method that gives difference spectra was employed to monitor the product formation and metastable decays. The dependence of metastable decay rates on laser fluences and matrixes was demonstrated.