Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Mass Spectrometry Images of Shrimp and Killifish

As much as one-third of the oil from the Gulf of Mexico consists of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These compounds are soluble in water, toxic, and can be absorbed by seafood, rendering it tainted by smell and hazardous to consumers. The standard method for the determination of PAHs in seafood is gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry, which is sensitive, but requires time-consuming extractions and separation steps that can take many hours to complete. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry is a rapid method of analysis that can provide results in a few minutes. It can also be used to obtain the spatial profile of chemical compounds in tissue (MALDI imaging). Tissue samples from shrimp and killifish were analyzed with MALDI imaging. This data set contains MALDI imaging data for studies of salt removal, matrix optimization, and determination of the detection limit of the mass spectrometry imaging.