Molecular data storage is becoming a viable alternative to traditional information storage systems. Here, we propose a method where the presence or absence of a given molecule in a mixture of compounds represents a bit of information. As a novel approach, direct analysis in real time (DART) ionization mass spectrometry is used to recover and decode the information stored at the molecular level. Nicotinic acid derivatives were synthesized and used as the 'bit compounds'. Their volatility and ease of ionization make these molecules especially suitable for DART-MS detection. The application of DART-MS as a method with an ambient ionization technique, enables the re-reading of digital chemical codes embedded in the material of ordinary objects. Our method is designed to store and read back short pieces of digital information, up to several hundred bits. These codes can have the function of barcodes or QR codes, as shown in our proof-of-principle applications. First, modelling a QR code as a link to our university's website, three solutions were prepared, each representing 22 bits. Proceeding further, the bit compounds were incorporated into a polymer matrix that is suitable for 3D printing, and a toy ship was created with a hidden barcode. In addition, decoding software was developed to process the DART-MS spectra. The nicotinic acid components representing the bits dominated the DART-MS spectra and error-free decoding was achieved.
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