Determination of 16 Mycotoxins in Maize by Ultrahigh-Performance Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry

An ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of sterigmatocystin, verruculogen, enniatin A, fusarenon-X, fumonisins B1, B2, B3, aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2, ochratoxin A, deoxynivalenol, 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol, 5-acetyldeoxynivalenol, and zearalenone. The mycotoxins were extracted and cleaned up using a multitoxin column, separated on a C18 column, and then detected on a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer. The limits of detection and quantification ranged within 0.2–2?µg/kg and 1–10?µg/kg, respectively. The recoveries ranged from 70.8 to 118.4%, with relative standard deviations below 15%. The method was used to analyze 80 samples obtained from Shandong Province in China. Fifty-eight samples were contaminated with 10 mycotoxins at concentrations ranging from 1.4 to 6566.1?µg/kg. Some samples exceeded the maximum limits in China and in European regulations for mycotoxins in unprocessed maize.     

Simultaneous determination of beta-blockers in human plasma using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A detailed procedure for the analysis of four beta-blockers, acebutolol, labetalol, metoprolol and propranolol, in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography (LC)-tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS) using an MSpak GF column, which enables direct injection of crude plasma samples, is presented. Protein and/or macromolecule matrix compounds were eluted first from the column, while the drugs were retained on the polymer stationary phase of the MSpak GF column. The analytes retained on the column were then eluted into an acetonitrile-rich mobile phase using a gradient separation technique. All drugs showed base peak ions due to [M + H]+ ions by LC-MS with positive ion electrospray ionization, and the product ions were produced from each [M + H]+ ion by LC-MS-MS. Quantification was performed by selected reaction monitoring. The recoveries of the four beta-blockers spiked into plasma were 73.5-89.9%. The regression equations for all compounds showed excellent linearity in the range 10-1000 ng/mL of plasma, with the exception of propranolol (10-800 ng/mL). The limits of detection and quantification for each drug were 1-3 and 10 ng/mL, respectively, of plasma. The intra- and inter-day coefficients of variation for all drugs in plasma were not greater than 10.9%.     

A rapid LC-MS-MS method for the determination of nicotine and cotinine in serum and saliva samples from smokers: validation and comparison with a radioimmunoassay method

The development and validation of a rapid liquid chromatography (LC)-tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS) method for determination of nicotine and cotinine in smokers' serum is described. The method is based on solid-phase extraction in a 96-well plate format and requires only 100 microL of serum. Using normal-phase chromatography, both analytes elute in less than 1 min, which permits high sample throughput applications. The calibrated range is 2-100 ng/mL nicotine and 20-1,000 ng/mL cotinine. For known samples, recovery is 95-116% for nicotine and 93-94% for cotinine. The method is extended to rat serum and human saliva (cotinine only) using partial validation techniques. When compared with an existing radioimmunoassay method in our laboratory, the LC-MS-MS method gives improved accuracy, precision, and sample throughput.     

Liquid chromatography with electrospray ion-trap mass spectrometry for the determination of yessotoxins in shellfish

Yessotoxins are a group of large polyether toxins, produced by marine dinoflagellates, which cause widespread contamination of filter-feeding shellfish. A new, sensitive liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method has been developed for the determination of yessotoxin (YTX) and 45-hydroxy-yessotoxin (45-OHYTX), a major metabolite in shellfish. The LC system was coupled, via an electrospray ionisation (ESI) source, to an ion-trap MS in negative mode. The molecular related ion species at m/z 1141 [M-2Na+H]- was used as the parent ion for multiple MS experiments. MS-MS and MS3 gave major fragment ions at m/z 1061 [1141-SO3H]- and m/z 945 [1061-C9H12O]-. Predominant ions, that are due to the fragmentation of the backbone structure of YTXs, were observed at the MS4 stage. Reversed-phase LC using a C16 amide column was preferable to C18 phases for the separation of YTX and 45-OHYTX. Optimum calibration and reproducibility data were obtained for YTX using LC-MS-MS; r 2=0.9960, RSD < or = 6.3% at 0.25 microg YTX/g (n=5). The detection limit (S/N=3) was 30 pg YTX on-column which corresponded to 3 ng/g shellfish tissue.     

Validated LC-MS-MS method for the determination of quetiapine in human plasma: application to a pharmacokinetic study

A sensitive and selective liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) method for the determination of quetiapine was developed and validated over the linearity range 1-1500 ng/mL with 0.1 mL of plasma using clozapine as the internal standard. Detection was performed on a triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer using positive electrospray ionization and quantification was performed by selected reaction monitoring mode. The MS-MS ion transitions monitored were m/z 384.1 → 253.1 and 327.0 → 270.0 for quetiapine and clozapine, respectively. The between- and within-run precision was less than 7.44% and accuracy was less than 10.2%. The lower limit of quantification was 1 ng/mL. The extraction recoveries of quetiapine were over 90%. The method is proved to be accurate and specific, and was applied to the pharmacokinetic study in healthy Chinese volunteers.     

Application of liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry to the detection of 10 sulfonamides in honey

Liquid chromatography (LC) in combination with tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS) has been applied to the separation and detection of 10 different sulfonamides in honey. The methodology encompasses a simple hydrolysis of the honey sample to liberate sugar-bound sulfonamides followed by liquid-liquid extraction of the 10 analytes, filtration, and analysis by LC-MS-MS. Conditions for reversed-phase LC and electrospray ionization (ESI) MS-MS in the positive ion mode were optimized for the 10 compounds under study, monitoring two characteristic mass transitions simultaneously for each analyte. The procedure is a qualitative confirmatory method for 10 sulfonamides at the low microg/kg level in honey. Typical recoveries of the analytes in honey ranged from 44 to 73% at a fortification level of 50 microg/kg. This study also addresses the issue of matrix-induced suppression of ionization, an effect often encountered in trace residue analysis of food matrices using LC-ESI-MS-MS based methods.     

Application of liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry combined with photodiode array detection and tandem mass spectrometry for monitoring pesticides in surface waters

Liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection (LC-DAD) and liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) are two techniques that have been widely used in monitoring pesticides and their degradation products in the environment. However, the application of liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) for such purposes, once considered too costly, is now gaining considerable ground. In this study, we compare these methods for the multi-residue analysis of pesticides in surface waters collected from the central and southeastern regions of France, and from the St. Lawrence River in Canada. Forty-eight pesticides belonging to eight different classes (triazine, amide, phenylurea, triazole, triazinone, benzimidazole, morpholine, phenoxyalkanoic), along with some of their degradation products, were monitored on a regular basis in the surface waters. For LC-MS, we used the electrospray ionization (ESI) interface in the negative ionization mode on acidic pesticides (phenoxyalkanoic, sulfonylurea), and the atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) interface in the positive ionization mode on the remaining chemicals. Different extraction techniques were employed, including liquid-liquid extraction with dichloromethane, and solid-phase extraction using C18-bonded silica and graphitized carbon black cartridges. Eleven of the target chemicals (desethylatrazine, desisopropylatrazine, atrazine, simazine, terbuthylazine, metolachlor, carbendazime, bentazone, penconazole, diuron and isoproturon) were detected by LC-MS at concentrations ranging from 20 to 900 ng/l in the surface waters from France, and six pesticides (atrazine, desethylatrazine, desisopropylatrazine, cyanazine, simazine and metolachlor) were detected by LC-MS and LC-MS-MS at concentrations ranging from 3 to 52 ng/l in the samples drawn from the St. Lawrence River. There was good correlation between the LC-DAD and LC-MS techniques for 60 samples. The slope of the curves expressing the relationship between the results obtained with LC-DAD versus those obtained by LC-MS was near 1, with a correlation coefficient (r) of over 0.93. The identification potential of the LC-MS technique, however, was greater than that of the LC-DAD; its mass spectra, mainly reflecting the pseudomolecular ion resulting from a protonation or a deprotonation of the molecule, was rich in information. The LC-MS-MS technique with ion trap detectors, tested against the LC-MS on 10 surface water samples, gave results that correlated well with the LC-MS results, albeit generating mass spectra that yielded far more information about the structure of unknown substances. The sensitivity of the LC-MS-MS was equivalent to the selected ion monitoring (SIM) acquisition mode in LC-MS. The detection limits of the target pesticides ranged from 20 to 100 ng/l for the LC-MS technique (under full scan acquisition), and from 2 to 6 ng/l for LC-MS-MS. These limits were improved by a factor of almost 10 by increasing the sample volume to 10 l.     

Standardized high-performance liquid chromatography of 182 mycotoxins and other fungal metabolites based on alkylphenone retention indices and UV-VIS spectra (diode array detection)

A general standardized method for the analysis of mycotoxins and other fungal secondary metabolites has been developed, based on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with an alkylphenone retention index and photodiode-array detection combined with thin-layer chromatography (TLC) in two different eluents. Each fungal secondary metabolite is characterized by its bracketed alkylphenone retention time index, its UV-VIS absorption maxima and its retardation factors relative to griseofulvin in two TLC eluents. This system is effective for the comparison of chemotaxonomic data in different laboratories and for a precise identification of fungi based on organic solvent extracts of fungal cultures. All important groups of mycotoxins and other fungal secondary metabolites could be detected in the HPLC system described and data are listed for 182 metabolites. The fungal secondary metabolites separated and characterized include aflatoxin B1, B2, G1 and G2, ochratoxin A, citrinin, penicillin acid, viomellein, penitrem A, patulin, sterigmatocystin, alternariol, tenuazonic acid, trichothecenes, roquefortines, fusarin C, zearalenone, PR-toxin, citreoviridin, viridicatumtoxin, verruculogen, rugulosin, cyclopiazonic acid, penicillin G and many other alkaloids, polyketides and terpenes.     

A sensitive and specific method for the determination of total ribavirin in human red blood cells by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A sensitive and specific method using high-performance liquid chromatography (LC)-tandem mass spectrometry (MS) for the analysis of total ribavirin in human red blood cells (RBC) is developed and validated. The method involves the addition of an internal standard and perchloric acid, the conversion of ribavirin phosphorylated metabolites to ribavirin, purification with a solid-phase exchange cartridge, and LC-MS-MS analysis. The MS-MS is selected to monitor m/z 245-113 for ribavirin and m/z 250-113 for [13C]ribavirin using positive electrospray ionization. The calibration curve is linear over a concentration of 100-10,000 ng/mL with a limit of quantitation of 100 ng/mL. Mean interassay accuracy for quality control (QC) at 100, 1000, and 10,000 ng/mL are 101.8%, 99.4%, and 98.8%, respectively. Mean interassay precision (%CV) for QC at 100, 1000, and 10,000 ng/mL are 5.0%, 5.0%, and 2.5%, respectively. Extractibility of total ribavirin from RBC is confirmed with RBC obtained from a [(14)C]ribavirin-dosed monkey. The method is used to determine the free and total ribavirin concentration in human RBC obtained from hepatitis C patients treated with ribavirin.     

液相色谱-串联质谱法同时测定动物血浆中21种霉菌毒素或其代谢物残留

建立了同时检测动物血浆中黄曲霉毒素B1等21种霉菌毒素或其代谢物残留的液相色谱-串联质谱方法.动物血浆样品中加入0.1％甲酸-乙腈溶液、NaCl和无水MgSO4进行萃取,无水MgSO4和C18,PSA,A-AL对提取液进行脱水净化,经浓缩、复溶和离心后,再进行测定.采用反相C18色谱柱分离,以0.1％甲酸-0.5 mmol/L乙酸铵溶液和0.1％甲酸-甲醇溶液作为流动相进行梯度洗脱,采用电喷雾离子源(ESI)多反应监测离子模式(MRM)进行检测,基质标准曲线外标法进行定量分析,线性范围在0.05 ～ 100 ng/mL之间,方法的定量限为0.05 ～0.5 ng/mL.在高、中、低3个添加浓度水平下,21种霉菌毒素的平均回收率为62.0％ ～ 116.4％,相对标准偏差小于19％.     

Determination of daminozide in apples and apple leaves by liquid chromatography--mass spectrometry

A straightforward and efficient method was developed for the determination of intact daminozide in apples and apple leaves. After extraction with methanol and a clean-up step using a graphitized carbon cartridge, the extract was analysed by ion-trap liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) using atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation in the positive ion mode. Recoveries for apple were 98-102% with a R.S.D. < or = 11% (n = 6) and for leaves were 112-116% with a R.S.D. < or = 18% (n = 6). The limits of detection were 0.008 and 0.02 mg/kg for apples and leaves, respectively.     

A rapid method for the determination of lasalocid in animal tissues and eggs by high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection and confirmation by LC-MS-MS

A simple and rapid method has been developed for the extraction of lasalocid from chicken muscle, eggs and liver and kidney from chicken, pig, sheep and calf. This method allows the screening of a large number of samples, i.e. 30-40 within a working day, and has an overall analysis time of 90 min. Lasalocid standard solution can be detected at 1 ng ml-1 by both HPLC-fluorescence (HPLC-F) and LC-MS-MS; the limit of quantification in fortified samples by the described method is 1 ng g-1. Results show good repeatability and mean 'spiked' recoveries by HPLC-F in the range of 10 to 200 ng g-1 (ppb) of 103, 87, 107, 97, 97, 103, 93, 109 and 100% in chicken muscle, chicken liver, egg, pig liver, pig kidney, sheep liver, sheep kidney, calf liver and calf kidney, respectively. For concentrations between 1 and 6 ng g-1 of spiked lasalocid in eggs and chicken liver by LC-MS-MS, the average recoveries were 76 and 59%, respectively.     

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry of the Alternaria mycotoxins alternariol and alternariol monomethyl ether in fruit juices and beverages

Alternariol (AOH) and alternariol monomethyl ether (AME) are among the main mycotoxins formed in apples and other fruits infected by Alternaria alternata. For determination of AOH and AME by LC, apple juice and other fruit beverages were cleaned up on C18 and aminopropyl solid-phase extraction columns. Positive and negative ion mass spectra of AOH and AME under electrospray (ESI) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) conditions were obtained. Collision-induced dissociation of the [M+H]+ and [M-H]- ions for both compounds were also studied. The phenolic anions of both compounds are more stable with less fragmentation. In quantitative analysis, negative ion detection also offers lower background and better sensitivity. Sensitive LC-MS and LC-MS-MS confirmatory procedures based on APCI with negative ion detection were applied to confirm the natural occurrence of AOH in nine samples of apple juice and in single samples of some other clear fruit beverages--grape juice, cranberry nectar, raspberry juice, red wine, and prune nectar (which also contained 1.4 ng AME/ml)--at levels of up to 6 ng AOH/ml. Electrospray LC-MS-MS with negative ion detection and in multiple reaction monitoring mode offers higher sensitivity and specificity. Absolute detection was better than 4 pg per injection for both compounds.     

固相萃取-液相色谱-质谱法测定益母草中7种真菌毒素

建立液相色谱-质谱法测定益母草中黄曲霉毒素G2、G1、B2、B1、T-2毒素、赭曲霉毒素A、展青霉素7种真菌毒素的方法。样品经过70%甲醇溶液超声提取,用水稀释后用固相萃取柱富集净化,以C18色谱柱分离,多反应监测(MRM)模式进行检测,7种真菌毒素得到快速分离。7种真菌毒素的质量浓度与色谱峰面积成良好的线性关系,线性相关系数在0.9972~0.9992之间,检出限为0.047~4.724μg/kg。平均加标回收率为72.8%~95.5%,测定结果的相对标准偏差为3.1%~5.7%(n=6)。该检测方法可同时高效准确检测益母草中7种真菌毒素的含量,可用于赭曲霉毒素A的定量风险评估,为益母草的安全评价提供了科学依据。     

Validation of liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry method for the determination of mesocarb in human plasma and urine

Mesocarb metabolism in humans is the target of this investigation. A high-performance liquid chromatographic (LC) method with electrospray ionization (ESI)-ion trap mass spectrometric (MS) detection ion trap "SL" for the simultaneous determination of mesocarb and its metabolites in plasma and urine is developed and validated. Ten metabolites and the parent drug are detected in human urine, and only four in human plasma, after the administration of a single oral dose of 10 mg of mesocarb (Sydnocarb, two 5-mg tablets). Seven of this metabolites have been found for the first time. The confirmation of the results and identification of all the metabolites except amphetamine is performed by LC-MS, LC-MS-MS, and LC-MS3. In the case of doping analysis, the reliable detection time for mesocarb (long-life dihydroxymesocarb metabolites of mesocarb) is approximately 10-11 days after the administration of the drug, which is a significant increase over the existing data. The detection of amphetamine in plasma and urine is made using simple flow-injection analysis without a chromatographic separation. The addition-calibration method is used with plasma and urine. The mean recoveries from plasma are 49.2% and 57.4% for mesocarb concentrations of 33.0 and 66.0 ng/mL, respectively, whereas the recoveries from human urine are 76.9% and 81.4% for concentrations of 1 and 2 ng/mL, respectively. Calibration curves (using an internal standard method) are linear (r2>0.9969) for concentrations 0.6 to 67 ng/mL and from 0.05 to 5 ng/mL in plasma and urine, respectively. Both intra- and interassay precision of plasma control samples at 3, 40, and 55 ng/mL are lower than 6.2%, and the concentrations do not deviate for more than -3.4% to 7.3% from their nominal values. In urine, intra- and interassay precision of control samples at 0.08, 1.5, and 3.0 ng/mL is lower than 14.1%, with concentrations not deviating for more than -11.3% to 13.7% from their nominal values. The plasma disappearance curve of the parent drug is obtained. The major pharmacokinetic parameters are calculated.     

On-line solid-phase extraction liquid chromatography-continuous flow frit fast atom bombardment mass spectrometric and tandem mass spectrometric determination of hydrolysis products of nerve agents alkyl methylphosphonic acids by p-bromophenacyl derivatization

For proof of the presence of chemical warfare agents sarin, soman and VX, a rapid, accurate and sensitive method which allows us to determine their hydrolysis products ethyl methylphosphonic acid, isopropyl methylphosphonic acid and pinacolyl methyl phosphonic acid was explored by using continuous flow frit fast atom bombardment (FAB) LC-MS and LC-MS-MS. After derivatization of analytes with p-bromophenacyl bromide, LC-MS-MS analyses for screening were performed by a flow injection method. The three alkyl methylphosphonic acids (AMPAs) were eluted within 5 min, and the detection limits for the three AMPAs ranged from 1 to 5 ng/ml. For confirmation of the screening results, LC-MS-MS analysis with chromatographic separation was conducted by using a narrow bore column. The three AMPAs were all eluted with excellent separation within 25 min, and the detection limits ranged from 1 to 20 ng/ml. Quantitative measurement was performed by LC-MS in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode with chromatographic separation. Linear calibration curves were obtained for the three AMPAs and the detection limits ranged from 0.5 to 3 ng/ml. The relative standard deviation for peak area ranged from 3.4 to 6.0% at 50 ng/ml for the three AMPAs.     

加速溶剂萃取-QuEChERS-超高效液相色谱-串联质谱法测定药食同源性食品中16种真菌毒素

建立了加速溶剂萃取-QuEChERS-超高效液相色谱-串联质谱测定药食同源性食品中16种真菌毒素的方法。样品经过加速溶剂萃取后用QuEChERS方法净化，液相色谱分离，在正、负离子同时扫描和多反应离子监测模式下检测，黄曲霉毒素B1和伏马毒素B1采用内标法定量，其余毒素采用基质外标法定量。在较宽的线性范围内，16种目标化合物的线性相关系数（r²）均大于0.99。该方法的检出限为0.008~0.3 μg/kg，定量限为0.03~1.0 μg/kg，在3个不同添加水平下的加标回收率为70.8%~118%，RSD为2.5%~10.2%。采用建立的方法分别对市面上销售的30个批次的山银花、葛根和沙棘产品进行检测，部分产品检出不同含量的真菌毒素。该方法快速、灵敏，适用于药食同源性食品中多种真菌毒素的同时检测。     

基于真菌毒素污染差异的液相色谱-串联质谱法鉴别板栗粉中掺假小麦粉

建立了分散固相萃取-超快速液相色谱-串联质谱法同时测定板栗粉和小麦粉中43种真菌毒素的方法,对48份板栗粉和80份小麦粉样品的污染状况进行调查,筛选出5种专属于小麦粉的标志性真菌毒素.样品采用84％(v/v)乙腈水溶液提取,提取液采用C18结合增强型脂质去除净化剂(EMR-Lipid)净化,采用响应曲面-中心组合设计优...     

Determination of the Fusarium mycotoxins, fusaproliferin and beauvericin by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

A method is described using LC-MS for the detection of the mycotoxins fusaproliferin (FUS) and beauvericin (BEA) in cultures of Fusarium subglutinans and in naturally contaminated maize. Protonated molecular ion signals for FUS and BEA were observed at m/z 445 and m/z 784, respectively. Collision induced dissociation of the readily dehydrated protonated molecular ion of the sesterterpene FUS (m/z 427) led to the loss of another water molecule (m/z 409) and acetic acid (m/z 385), while the cyclic lactone trimer BEA fragmented to yield the protonated dimer (m/z 523) and monomer (m/z 262), respectively. Detection of FUS was best performed in the MS-MS mode while BEA displayed a stronger signal in the MS mode. The on-column instrumental detection limits for pure FUS and BEA were found to be 2 ng and 20 pg (S/N=2) while those in naturally contaminated maize were 1 microg/kg and 0.5 microg/kg, respectively. Five South African strains of F. subglutinans were analyzed following methanol extraction of which four produced FUS at levels between 330 mg/kg and 2630 mg/kg while only three produced BEA at levels between 140 mg/kg and 700 mg/kg. Application of this method to naturally contaminated maize samples from the Transkei region of South Africa showed FUS at levels of 8.8-39.6 microg/kg and BEA at 7.6-238.8 microg/kg.