Electrospray ionization (
ESI) is a technique used in
mass spectrometry to produce ions using an
electrospray in which a high voltage is applied to a liquid to create an
aerosol. It is especially useful in producing ions from
macromolecules because it overcomes the propensity of these molecules to fragment when ionized. ESI is different from other atmospheric pressure ionization processes (e.g.
MALDI) since it may produce multiply charged ions, effectively extending the mass range of the analyser to accommodate the
kDa-MDa orders of magnitude observed in proteins and their associated polypeptide fragments.