High‐throughput salting‐out assisted liquid–liquid extraction with acetonitrile for the determination of anandamide in plasma of hemodialysis patients with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

Anandamide (AEA) is an endocannabinoid present in human plasma that is associated with several physiological functions and disease states. However, low AEA plasma levels pose challenges in terms of analytical characterization. Classical liquid‐based lipid extraction and solid‐phase extraction require complicated procedures and the drying down of relatively large volumes of solvents, making them unsuitable for high‐throughput analysis. Here a high‐throughput salting‐out assisted liquid–liquid extraction (SALLE) method with acetonitrile and mass spectrometry compatible salts for liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) analysis of AEA in human plasma has been developed and validated. The seamless interface of SALLE and LC‐MS eliminated the drying‐down step, only 100 μL of plasma is required and minimal volumes of organic solvent are used. Good reproducibility, accuracy and precision were demonstrated during the method validation. The method is linear up to 10 ng/mL with a lower limit of quantitation of 0.1 ng/mL for AEA, the accuracy for AEA was from 93.3 to 96.7% and the precision was <8.57%. This new methodology was successfully applied to analysis of clinical samples from maintenance hemodialysis patients. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Supported liquid extraction in combination with LC‐MS/MS for high‐throughput quantitative analysis of hydrocortisone in mouse serum

A high‐throughput LC–MS/MS bioanalytical method was developed and validated for the determination of hydrocortisone in mouse serum via supported liquid extraction (SLE) in a 96‐well plate format. Although sample extracts from SLE result in similar matrix effects compared with conventional liquid–liquid extraction (LLE), greater analyte extraction recovery and much higher analysis throughput for the quantitative analysis of hydrocortisone in mouse serum were obtained. The current LC‐MS/MS method was validated for a concentration range of 2.00–2000 ng/mL for hydrocortisone using a 0.100 mL volume of mouse serum. The intra‐ and inter‐day precision and accuracy of the quality control samples at low, medium and high concentration levels showed ≤12.9% CV and ?3.4–6.2% bias for the analyte in mouse serum. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Magnetic solid‐phase extraction or dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction for pyrethroid determination in environmental samples

The determination of 15 pyrethroids in soil and water samples was carried out by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. Compounds were extracted from the soil samples (4 g) using solid–liquid extraction and then salting‐out assisted liquid–liquid extraction. The acetonitrile phase obtained (0.8 mL) was used as a dispersant solvent, to which 75 μL of chloroform was added as an extractant solvent, submitting the mixture to dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction. For the analysis of water samples (40 mL), magnetic solid‐phase extraction was performed using nanocomposites of magnetic nanoparticles and multiwalled carbon nanotubes as sorbent material (10 mg). The mixture was shaken for 45 min at room temperature before separation with a magnet and desorption with 3 mL of acetone using ultrasounds for 5 min. The solvent was evaporated and reconstituted with 100 μL acetonitrile before injection. Matrix‐matched calibration is recommended for quantification of soil samples, while water samples can be quantified by standards calibration. The limits of detection were in the range of 0.03–0.5 ng/g (soil) and 0.09–0.24 ng/mL (water), depending on the analyte. The analyzed environmental samples did not contain the studied pyrethroids, at least above the corresponding limits of detection.     

The application of multiplexed,multi‐dimensional ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry to the high‐throughput screening of lysosomal storage disorders in newborn dried bloodspots

Lysozomal storage disorders are just beginning to be routinely screened using enzyme activity assays involving dried blood spots and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). This paper discusses some of the analytical challenges associated with published assays including complex sample preparation and potential interference from excess residual substrate. Solutions to these challenges are presented in the form of on‐line two‐dimensional chromatography to eliminate off‐line liquid‐liquid extraction (LLE) and solid‐phase extraction (SPE), the use of ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) to separate excess substrate from all other analytes and multiplexed sample introduction for higher throughput required of a population screening assay. High sensitivity, specificity and throughput were demonstrated using this novel method. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Salting‐out‐assisted liquid–liquid extraction with acetonitrile for the determination of trimetazidine in rat plasma using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry

A high‐throughout bioanalytical method based on salting‐out‐assisted liquid/liquid extraction (SALLE) method with acetonitrile and mass spectrometry‐compatible salts followed by LC‐MS/MS analysis of trimetazidine in rat plasma is presented. It required only 50 μL of plasma and allows the use of minimal volumes of organic solvents. The seamless interface of SALLE and LC‐MS eliminated the drying‐down step and the extract was diluted and injected into an LC‐MS/MS system with a cycle time of 2.5 min/sample. The retention times of trimetazidine and IS were approximately 1.1 and 1.7 min, respectively. Calibration curves were linear over the concentration range of 0.1–100 ng/mL, which can be extended to 500 ng/mL by dilution. The intra‐ and inter‐batch precision, accuracy and the relative standard deviation were all <15%. This method was successfully applied to determine trimetazidine concentrations in rat plasma. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Identification of G‐nerve agents at picogram levels from complex organic samples containing hydrocarbon interferences by aqueous extraction,followed by derivatization and liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry analysis

The chromatograms obtained from the gas chromatography‐electron ionization mass spectrometric (GC‐EI‐MS) analysis of extracts containing G‐nerve agents in the presence of diesel, gasoline, etc., are dominated by hydrocarbon backgrounds that “mask” the G‐nerve agents, leading to severe difficulties in identification. This paper presents a practical solution for this challenge by transferring the G‐nerve agents from the organic phase into the aqueous phase using liquid‐liquid extraction (LLE), followed by derivatization with 2‐[(dimethylamino)methyl]phenol (2‐DMAMP), allowing ultrasensitive LC‐ESI‐MS/MS analysis of the G‐derivatives. The proposed approach enables rapid identification of trace amounts of G‐nerve agents with limits of identification (LOIs) at the pg/mL scale.     

Ionic liquid and aqueous two‐phase extraction based on salting‐out coupled with high‐performance liquid chromatography for the determination of seven rare ginsenosides in Xue‐Sai‐Tong injection

A method of ionic liquid salt aqueous two‐phase extraction coupled with high‐performance liquid chromatography has been developed for the analysis of seven rare ginsenosides including Rg₆, F₄, 20(S)‐Rg₃, 20(R)‐Rg₃, Rk₃, Rk₁, and Rg₅ in Xue‐Sai‐Tong injection. The injection was mixed with ionic liquid 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bromide aqueous solution, and a mixture was obtained. With the addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate and dipotassium phosphate into the mixture, the aqueous two‐phase mixture was formed after ultrasonic treatment and centrifuged. Rare ginsenosides were extracted into the upper phase. To obtain a high extraction factors, various influences were considered systematically, such as the volume of ionic liquid, the category and amount of salts, the amount of sodium dodecyl sulfate, the pH value of system, and the time of ultrasonic treatment. Under the optimal condition, rare ginsenosides in Xue‐Sai‐Tong injection were enriched and detected, the recoveries of seven rare ginsenosides ranged from 90.05 to 112.55%, while relative standard deviations were lower than 2.50%. The developed method was reliable, rapid and sensitive for the determination of seven rare ginsenosides in the injections.     

A simple LC–MS/MS method facilitated by salting‐out assisted liquid–liquid extraction to simultaneously determine trans‐resveratrol and its glucuronide and sulfate conjugates in rat plasma and its application to pharmacokinetic assay

A simple LC–MS/MS method facilitated by salting‐out assisted liquid–liquid extraction (SALLE) was applied to simultaneously investigate the pharmacokinetics of trans‐ resveratrol (Res) and its major glucuronide and sulfate conjugates in rat plasma. Acetonitrile–methanol (80:20, v /v) and ammonium acetate (10 mol L⁻¹) were used as extractant and salting‐out reagent to locate the target analytes in the supernatant after the aqueous and organic phase stratification, then the analytes were determined via gradient elution by LC–MS/MS in negative mode in a single run. The analytical method was validated with good selectivity, acceptable accuracy (>85%) and low variation of precision (<15%). SALLE showed better extraction efficiency of target glucuronide and sulfate conjugates (>80%). The method was successfully applied to determine Res and its four conjugated metabolites in rat after Res administration (intragastric, 50 mg kg⁻¹; intravenous, 10 mg kg⁻¹). The systemic exposures to Res conjugates were much higher than those to Res (AUC_0–t , i.v., 7.43 μm h; p.o., 8.31 μm h); Res‐3‐O‐β ‐d ‐glucuronide was the major metabolite (AUC_0–t , i.v., 66.1 μm h; p.o., 333.4 μm h). The bioavailability of Res was estimated to be ~22.4%. The reproducible SALLE method simplified the sample preparation, drastically improved the accuracy of the concomitant assay and gave full consideration of extraction recovery to each target analyte in bio‐samples.     

High‐throughput salting‐out‐assisted liquid–liquid extraction for the simultaneous determination of atorvastatin,ortho‐hydroxyatorvastatin,and para‐hydroxyatorvastatin in human plasma using ultrafast liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry

A high‐throughput, specific, and rapid liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method was established and validated for the simultaneous determination of atorvastatin and its two major metabolites, ortho‐hydroxyatorvastatin and para‐hydroxyatorvastatin, in human plasma. A simple salting‐out‐assisted liquid–liquid extraction using acetonitrile and a mass‐spectrometry‐friendly salt, ammonium acetate, was employed to extract the analytes from human plasma. A recovery of more than 81% for all analytes was achieved in 1 min extraction time. Chromatographic separation was performed on a Kinetex XB C₁₈ column utilizing a gradient elution starting with a 60% of water solution (1% formic acid), followed by increasing percentages of acetonitrile. Analytes were detected on a tandem mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization source that was operated in the positive mode, using the transitions of m/z 559.3 → m/z 440.2 for atorvastatin, and m/z 575.3 → m/z 440.2 for both ortho‐ and para‐hydroxyatorvastatin. Deuterium‐labeled compounds were used as the internal standards. The method was validated over the concentration ranges of 0.0200–15.0 ng/mL for atorvastatin and ortho‐hydroxyatorvastatin, and 0.0100–2.00 ng/mL for para‐hydroxyatorvastatin with acceptable accuracy and precision. It was then successfully applied in a bioequivalence study of atorvastatin.     

High-throughput semi-automated 96-well liquid/liquid extraction and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometric analysis of everolimus (RAD 001) and cyclosporin a (CsA) in whole blood

A semi-automated high-throughput liquid/liquid extraction (LLE) assay was developed for RAD001 and cyclosporin A (CsA) in human blood. After addition of internal standard and ammonium hydroxide, samples were extracted twice with methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE). The organic extract was evaporated to dryness and reconstituted in mobile phase. Where possible, sample transfer and LLE steps were automated using a Tomtec Quadra 96 workstation. Samples were analyzed using ESI-LC/MS/MS employing the transitions of ([M + NH(4)](+) --> [M + H](+)) for CsA and ([M + NH(4)](+) --> [M + H-(CH(3)OH + H(2)O)](+)) for RAD001, under isocratic chromatographic conditions (75:25, (v/v), acetonitrile/20 mM ammonium acetate) with a run time of 3.6 min. A lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) of 0.368 ng/mL and 5.23 ng/mL was achieved for RAD001 and CsA, respectively, using a sample volume of 0.3 mL for the analysis. The method was validated over a 3-day period and the resulting calibration curves had a correlation coefficient >0.99 over the concentration range 0.368 to 409 ng/mL and 5.24 to 1748 ng/mL for RAD001 and CsA, respectively. The inter-day coefficient of variation (CV) was less than 15% at the LLOQ for both compounds. The method was applied to the analysis of clinical samples. Under normal working conditions four 96-well plates could be extracted and LC/MS analysis completed in less than 28 h. A marked improvement in sample throughput efficiency was realized with this LLE method when compared to existing solid phase extraction (SPE) methods which deal with both RAD001 and CsA.     

An improved LC‐MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of 1,5‐dicaffeoylquinic acid and its active metabolites in human plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetic study in patients

In this study, a sensitive, selective and reproducible liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous determination of 1,5‐dicaffeoylquinic acid (1,5‐DCQA) and its active metabolites, 1‐caffeoyl‐5‐feruoylquinic acid and 1,5‐O‐diferuoylquinic acid, in human plasma, using puerarin as internal standard, was developed and validated. Analytes were extracted from plasma samples by liquid–liquid extraction with ethyl acetate, separated on a C₁₈ reversed‐phase column with water containing 5 mM ammonium acetate and acetonitrile as the mobile phase and detected by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry in negative selected reaction monitoring mode. The accuracy and precision of the method were acceptable and linearity was good over the range 1–200 ng/mL for each analyte. In addition, the selectivity, extraction recovery and matrix effect were satisfactory too. The validated LC‐MS/MS method was successfully applied to phase II clinical pharmacokinetic study of 1,5‐DCQA in patients. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reversed‐phase ion‐pair solid‐phase extraction and ion chromatography analysis of pyrrolidinium ionic liquid cations in environmental water samples

A method of reversed‐phase ion‐pair solid‐phase extraction combined with ion chromatography for determination of pyrrolidinium ionic liquid cations (N‐methyl‐N‐ethyl pyrrolidinium, N‐methyl‐N‐propyl pyrrolidinium, and N‐methyl‐N‐butyl pyrrolidinium) in water samples was developed in this study. First, ion‐pair reagent sodium heptanesulfonate was added to the water samples after static, centrifugation and filteration. Then, pyrrolidinium cations in the samples were enriched and purified by a reversed‐phase solid‐phase extraction column, and eluted from the column with methanol aqueous solution as eluent. Finally, the eluate collected was analyzed by ion chromatography. The separation and direct conductivity detection of these pyrrolidinium cations by ion‐exchange column using 1.0 mM methanesulfonic acid (in water)/acetonitrile (97:3, v:v) as mobile phase was achieved within 10 min. By using this method, pyrrolidinium cations in Songhua River and Hulan River were successfully extracted with the recoveries ranging from 74.2 to 97.1% and the enrichment factor assessed as 60. Pyrrolidinium cations with the concentration of 0.001?0.03 mg/L can be enriched and detected in the water samples. The developed method for the determination of pyrrolidinium ionic liquid cations in water samples is simple and reliable, which provides a reference for the study of the potential impact of ionic liquids on the environment.     

Application of continual injection liquid‐phase microextraction method coupled with liquid chromatography to the analysis of organophosphorus pesticides

A liquid‐phase microextraction coupled with LC method has been developed for the determination of organophosphorus pesticides (methidation, quinalphos and profenofos) in drinking water samples. In this method, a small amount (3 μL) of isooctane as the acceptor phase was introduced continually to fill‐up the channel of a 1.5 cm polypropylene hollow fiber using a microsyringe while the hollow fiber was immersed in an aqueous donor solution. A portion of the acceptor phase (ca. 0.4 μL) was first introduced into the hollow fiber and additional amounts (ca. 0.2 μL) of the acceptor phase were introduced to replenish at intervals of 3 min until set end of extraction (40 min). After extraction, the acceptor phase was withdrawn and transferred into a 2 mL vial for a drying step prior to injection into a LC system. Parameters that affect the extraction efficiency were studied including the organic solvent, length of fiber, volume of acceptor and donor phase, stirring rate, extraction time, and effect of salting out. The proposed method provided good enrichment factors of up to 189.50, with RSD ranging from 0.10 to 0.29%, analyte recoveries of over 79.80% and good linearity ranging from 10.0 to 1.25 mg/L. The LOD ranged from 2.86 to 82.66 μg/L. This method was applied successfully to the determination of organophosphorus pesticides in selected drinking water samples.     

Ultra‐trace analysis of furanic compounds in transformer/rectifier oils with water extraction and high‐performance liquid chromatography

A novel approach for the determination of parts‐per‐billion level of 5‐hydroxymethyl‐2‐furaldehyde, furfuryl alcohol, furfural, 2‐furyl methyl ketone, and 5‐methylfurfural in transformer or rectifier oils has been successfully innovated and implemented. Various extraction methods including solid‐phase extraction, liquid–liquid extraction using methanol, acetonitrile, and water were studied. Water was by far the most efficient solvent for use as an extraction medium. Separation of the analytes was conducted using a 4.6 mm × 250 mm × 3.5 μm Agilent Zorbax column while detection and quantitation were conducted with a variable wavelength UV detector. Detection limits of all furans were at 1 ppb v/v with linear ranges range from 5 to 1000 ppb v/v with correlation coefficients of 0.997 or better. A relative standard deviation of at most 2.4% at 1000 ppb v/v and 7.3% at 5 ppb v/v and a recovery from 43% to 90% depending on the analyte monitored were obtained. The method was purposely designed to be environmental friendly with water as an extraction medium. Also, the method uses 80% water and 20% acetonitrile with a mere 0.2 mL/min of acetonitrile in an acetonitrile/water mixture as mobile phase. The analytical technique has been demonstrated to be highly reliable with low cost of ownership, suitable for deployment in quality control labs or in regions where available analytical resources and solvents are difficult to procure.     

High‐density extraction solvent‐based solvent de‐emulsification dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction combined with MEKC for detection of chlorophenols in water samples

For the first time, the high‐density solvent‐based solvent de‐emulsification dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (HSD‐DLLME) was developed for the fast, simple, and efficient determination of chlorophenols in water samples followed by field‐enhanced sample injection with reverse migrating micelles in CE. The extraction of chlorophenols in the aqueous sample solution was performed in the presence of extraction solvent (chloroform) and dispersive solvent (acetone). A de‐emulsification solvent (ACN) was then injected into the aqueous solution to break up the emulsion, the obtained emulsion cleared into two phases quickly. The lower layer (chloroform) was collected and analyzed by field‐enhanced sample injection with reverse migrating micelles in CE. Several important parameters influencing the extraction efficiency of HSD‐DLLME such as the type and volume of extraction solvent, disperser solvent and de‐emulsification solvent, sample pH, extraction time as well as salting‐out effects were optimized. Under the optimized conditions, the proposed method provided a good linearity in the range of 0.02–4 μg/mL, low LODs (4 ng/mL), and good repeatability of the extractions (RSDs below 9.3%, n = 5). And enrichment factors for three phenols were 684, 797, and 233, respectively. This method was then utilized to analyze two real environmental samples from wastewater and tap water and obtained satisfactory results. The obtained results indicated that the developed method is an excellent alternative for the routine analysis in the environmental field.     

Use of switchable hydrophilicity solvents for the homogeneous liquid–liquid microextraction of triazine herbicides from environmental water samples

A homogeneous liquid–liquid microextraction alternative, based on the use of switchable hydrophilicity solvents, is presented. The extraction technique makes use of 125 μL of a water‐immiscible solvent (N,N‐dimethylcyclohexylamine) that can be solubilized in the aqueous phase in 1:1 ratio using CO₂ as a reagent. After the extraction, phase separation is induced by the addition of sodium hydroxide that produces a change on the ionization state of the amine, and centrifugation was not necessary. The extraction technique has been optimized and characterized using the determination of triazine herbicides by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry in water samples. The presence of metallic ions in environmental waters as interferents is easily avoided by the addition of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid before the microextraction procedure. The proposed method allows the determination of the target analytes at the low microgram per liter range with good precision (relative standard deviation lower than 12.5%).     

Residue analysis of tebufenozide and indoxacarb in chicken muscle,milk, egg and aquatic animal products using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

We developed an analytical method using liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) to detect and quantify tebufenozide (TEB) and indoxacarb (IND) residues in animal and aquatic products (chicken muscle, milk, egg, eel, flatfish, and shrimp). The target compounds were extracted using 1% acetic acid (0.1% acetic acid for egg only) in acetonitrile and purified using n‐hexane. The analytes were separated on a Gemini‐NX C₁₈ column using (a) distilled water with 0.1% formic acid and 5 mm ammonium acetate and (b) methanol with 0.1% formic acid as the mobile phase. All six‐point matrix‐matched calibration curves showed good linearity with coefficients of determination (R²) ≥0.9864 over a concentration range of 5–50 μg/kg. Intra‐ and inter‐day accuracy was expressed as the recovery rate at three spiking levels and ranged between 73.22 and 114.93% in all matrices, with a relative standard deviation (RSD, corresponding to precision) ≤13.87%. The limits of quantification (LOQ) of all target analytes ranged from 2 to 20 μg/kg, which were substantially lower than the maximum residue limits (MRLs) specified by the regulatory agencies of different countries. All samples were collected from different markets in Seoul, Republic of Korea, and tested negative for tebufenozide and indoxacarb residues. These results show that the method developed is robust and may be a promising tool to detect trace levels of the target analytes in animal products.     

Rapid analysis of three β‐agonist residues in food of animal origin by automated on‐line solid‐phase extraction coupled to liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry

An automated online solid‐phase extraction with liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the detection of clenbuterol, salbutamol, and ractopamine in food of animal origin. The samples from the food matrix were pretreated with an online solid‐phase extraction cartridge by Oasis MCX for <5 min after acid hydrolysis for 30 min. The peak focusing mode was used to elute the target compounds directly onto a C₁₈ column. Chromatographic separation was achieved under gradient conditions using a mobile phase composed of acetonitrile/0.1% formic acid in aqueous solution. Each analyte was detected in two multiple reaction monitoring transitions via an electrospray ionization source in a positive mode. The relative standard deviations ranged from 2.6 to 10.5%, and recovery was between 76.7 and 107.2% at all quality control levels. The limits of quantification of three β‐agonists were in the range of 0.024–0.29 μg/kg in pork, sausage, and milk powder, respectively. This newly developed method offers high sensitivity and minimum sample pretreatment for the high‐throughput analysis of β‐agonist residues.     

Determination of rifampicin in human plasma by high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultraviolet detection after automatized solid–liquid extraction

A precise and accurate high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) quantification method of rifampicin in human plasma was developed and validated using ultraviolet detection after an automatized solid‐phase extraction. The method was validated with respect to selectivity, extraction recovery, linearity, intra‐ and inter‐day precision, accuracy, lower limit of quantification and stability. Chromatographic separation was performed on a Chromolith RP₈ column using a mixture of 0.05 m acetate buffer pH 5.7–acetonitrile (35:65, v/v) as mobile phase. The compounds were detected at a wavelength of 335 nm with a lower limit of quantification of 0.05 mg/L in human plasma. Retention times for rifampicin and 6,7‐dimethyl‐2,3‐di(2‐pyridyl) quinoxaline used as internal standard were respectively 3.77 and 4.81 min. This robust and exact method was successfully applied in routine for therapeutic drug monitoring in patients treated with rifampicin.