Liquid chromatographic/tandem mass spectrometric method for the determination of the tobacco-specific nitrosamine metabolite NNAL in smokers' urine

A specific and rapid liquid chromatographic/tandem mass spectrometric (LC/MS/MS) method was developed and validated for NNAL, a metabolite of the tobacco-specific nitrosamine metabolite NNK. The metabolite was detected in smokers' urine with a limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 20 pg ml(-1) and a linear range up to 1000 pg ml(-1). The method features a single solid-phase extraction step and MS/MS monitoring following electrospray ionization. Fragmentation pathways for the protonated molecular ion are proposed. The sample preparation is simpler than that for gas chromatographic methods reported in the literature and maintains sensitivity adequate for determining NNAL in smokers' urine. By using enzyme hydrolysis to determine total NNAL in urine, the amount of NNAL-glucuronide was calculated. A standard pooled smokers' urine sample used for development gave values of 176 +/- 8 pg ml(-1) free NNAL and 675 +/- 26 pg ml(-1) total NNAL following enzyme hydrolysis. The method was applied to a group of seven smokers; the free NNAL level for the group was 101-256 pg ml(-1) with NNAL-glucuronides at 247-566 pg ml(-1). The ratio of conjugated to free NNAL was in the range 0.98-2.95. The variability in total daily amount of NNAL excreted (ng per 24 h) had RSDs of 6-21% for free NNAL, 7-22% for conjugated NNAL and 6-20% for total NNAL excreted. When normalized to the number of cigarettes smoked, the amounts of NNAL excreted per cigarette smoked were in the range of amounts of NNK yields reported for cigarettes in the literature.     

Development and validation of a hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method for the analysis of paroxetine in human plasma

A sensitive, simple, fast and rugged hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS/MS) method for the determination of paroxetine was developed and validated over curve range 0.050-50 ng/mL using only 0.4 mL plasma. This is the first published LC-MS/MS method and the low limit of quantitation of this method is 10-fold lower than previously published methods. A simple liquid-liquid extraction method using methyl-tert butyl ether (MTBE) as the extraction solvent was used to extract paroxetine and the internal standard (IS) fentanyl-d(5) from plasma. The extract was evaporated to dryness, reconstituted and injected onto a silica column using a low aqueous-high organic mobile phase. The chromatographic run time was 2.0 min per injection, with retention times of 1.1 and 1.2 min for paroxetine and IS, respectively. The detection was by monitoring paroxetine at m/z 330 --> 192 and IS at m/z 342 --> 188, respectively. The inter-day precision and accuracy of the quality control (QC) samples were <5.0% relative standard deviation (RSD) and <2.9% relative error (RE). This method can be used for supporting therapeutical drug monitoring and pharmacokinetic or drug-drug interaction studies.     

Liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric method for the simultaneous determination of tobacco-specific nitrosamine NNK and its five metabolites

A sensitive and robust high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry method to analyze 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) and its five metabolites in one passage was developed and validated. The method achieved excellent reproducibility and accuracy. Linearity was observed for all six compounds (R² = 0.999) with detection limits (S/N ≥ 3) ranging from 0.2 to 2.4 pg on column and 0.01-0.12 ng ml⁻¹ in samples injected. Average intra-day and inter-day variations (% R.S.D.) were 1.2 and 3.5%, respectively. A sample preparation method involving C8 and C18 solid phase extraction provided satisfactory recovery of the analytes in mouse urine. Each NNK metabolite was identified by its chromatographic retention time and specific fragmentation pattern. Since the carcinogenicity of NNK is related to its metabolism, the method described in this report should facilitate toxicological investigations into the carcinogenesis due to NNK exposure in the environment.     

Determination of gabapentin in human plasma using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry

A rapid, sensitive and selective method for the determination of gabapentin in human plasma was developed using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC/MS/MS). The devised method involved protein precipitation with acetonitrile followed by separation on an Atlantis HILIC silica column using an acetonitrile/ammonium formate mobile phase (100 mM, pH 3.0) (85:15, v/v). Analytes were detected using an electrospray ionization mass spectrometer in the multiple-reaction monitoring mode. The standard curve was linear (r = 1.000) over the concentration range of 50.0-10000 ng/mL. The lower limit of quantification for gabapentin was 50.0 ng/mL (ca. 20 pg gabapentin) using a 10-microL plasma sample. The coefficients of variation and relative errors for intra- and inter-assay at four QC levels (i.e., 50.0, 125, 750, and 7500 ng/mL) were 4.7 to 9.4% and -4.1 to 1.6%, respectively. Absolute and relative matrix effects for gabapentin and metformin were practically absent. Gabapentin and metformin recoveries were 98.5% and 99.0%, respectively. This method was successfully applied to a bioequivalence study of gabapentin in humans.     

Quantification of doxazosin in human plasma using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry

Hydrophilic interaction LC with MS/MS (HILIC-MS/MS) was described as a rapid, sensitive, and selective method for the quantification of doxazosin in human plasma. Doxazosin and cisapride (internal standard) were extracted from human plasma with ethyl acetate at alkaline pH and analyzed on an Atlantis HILIC Silica column with the mobile phase of ACN/ammonium formate (100 mM, pH 4.5) (93:7 v/v). The analytes were detected using an ESI MS/MS in the selective-reaction-monitoring mode. The standard curve was linear (r = 0.9994) over the concentration range of 0.2-50 ng/mL. The LOQ for doxazosin was 0.2 ng/mL using 100 microL plasma sample. The CV and relative error for intra- and interassay at four QC levels were 3.7-8.7% and 0.0-9.8%, respectively. The matrix effect for doxazosin and cisapride were practically absent. The recoveries of doxazosin and cisapride were 67.4 and 61.7%, respectively. This method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study of doxazosin in humans.     

Comparison of hydrophilic interaction and reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometric detection for the determination of three pharmaceuticals in human plasma

In the present study, hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) and reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) combined with tandem mass spectrometric detection (MS/MS) were evaluated and compared for the determination of donepezil, cetirizine and loratadine in human plasma, in terms of sensitivity and sample preparation procedure. A retention study for the above compounds of various polarities was performed, using both C(18) and silica columns, with several aqueous-organic mobile phase ratios, in order to investigate their retention mechanism profile under HILIC and RPLC. Both chromatographic conditions were compared for chromatographic analysis of plasma samples processed with a liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) method for donepezil determination, resulting in significantly higher sensitivity under HILIC. Furthermore, HILIC and RPLC were compared for direct injection, and novel methods including LLE, solid-phase extraction and protein precipitation protocols were developed. Direct injection technique significantly reduced sample preparation time, increasing at the same time method sensitivity. The current study contributes to broadening the range of analyzable compounds by HILIC-MS/MS to molecules of medium polarity.     

Quantification of total and free carnitine in human plasma by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

Carnitine is an endogenous quaternary amine whose primary function is to shuttle long chain fatty acids to the mitochondrial matrix, where they subsequently undergo beta oxidation. Accurate quantification of total and free carnitine is essential for the accurate diagnosis of a number of inborn errors of metabolism, including disorders of fatty acid oxidation as well as various organic acidurias. Early methods for carnitine measurement were enzyme based. Recently, liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry has become the method of choice for carnitine measurement. Typically, carnitine is derivitized to from a butyl ester, thus improving its ionization and retention characteristics. A potential problem with this approach is that the acidic conditions used to carry out the reaction may hydrolyze other acyl esters, resulting in ex-vivo artifacts. Consequently, we developed a hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HILIC) tandem mass spectrometry method for the quantification of carnitine. The use of HILIC allows for the derivitization step to be circumvented, while still allowing for favorable chromatographic performance. The method was shown to be accurate, precise, and robust.     

Development and validation of a liquid chromatographic/tandem mass spectrometric method for the determination of sertraline in human plasma

A sensitive and rapid liquid chromatographic/tandem mass spectrometric method was developed and validated for the determination of sertraline in human plasma. The analyte and internal standard (IS, diphenhydramine) were extracted with 3 mL of diethyl ether/dichloromethane (2:1, v/v) from 0.25 mL plasma, then separated on a Zorbax Eclipse XDB C18 column using methanol/water/formic acid (75:25:0.1, v/v/v) as the mobile phase. The triple quadrupole mass spectrometry was applied via an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) source for detection. The fragmentation pattern of the protonated sertraline was elucidated with the aid of product mass spectra of isotopologous peaks. Quantification was performed using selected reaction monitoring of the transitions of m/z 306 --> 159 for sertraline and m/z 256 --> 167 for the IS. The method was linear over the concentration range of 0.10-100 ng/mL. The intra-day and inter-day precisions, expressed by relative standard deviation, were both less than 6.7%. Assay accuracies were within +/-6.9% as terms of relative error. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was identifiable and reproducible at 0.10 ng/mL with a precision of 8.3% and an accuracy of 9.6%. The validated method has been successfully applied for the pharmacokinetic study and bioequivalence evaluation of sertraline in 18 healthy volunteers after a single oral administration of 50 mg sertraline hydrochloride tablets.     

Hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatographic tandem mass spectrometric determination of atenolol in human plasma

A hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatographic method with tandem mass spectrometry for the determination of atenolol, a beta-blocking agent, in human plasma has been developed and validated over the curve range of 10--2000 ng/mL. The assay was based on protein precipitation followed by evaporation of the extraction solvent, reconstitution with acetonitrile, and chromatography on an Hypersil silica column (50 x 4.6 mm) using a low aqueous--high organic mobile phase. The mobile phase consists of 85% acetonitrile, 15% water, 0.5% acetic acid and 0.04% trifluoroacetic acid and runs isocratically at a flow rate of 2.0 mL/min. The column ef fluent was split so that 50% of it was transferred into the LC-MS/MS interface operated in positive electrospray ionization mode. The chromatographic run time was 2.0 min per injection. Atenolol and the internal standard, atenolol-d(7), showed a retention time of 1.0 min. The inter-day and intra-day precision and accuracy of the quality control samples were <5.3% relative standard deviation and <8.0% relative error, respectively. To explore the application of the current method for the analysis of other beta-blocking agents, propranolol and metoprolol were tested under the same chromatographic conditions with retention times of 0.68 and 0.75 min, respectively. The present method could be used for therapeutic drug monitoring, pharmacokinetic and drug--drug interaction studies of beta-blocking agents.     

Novel rapid liquid chromatography tandem masspectrometry method for vemurafenib and metabolites in human plasma,including metabolite concentrations at steady state

A novel, rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography tandem–mass spectrometry method for quantification of vemurafenib in human plasma, that also for the first time allows for metabolite semi‐quantification, was developed and validated to support clinical trials and therapeutic drug monitoring. Vemurafenib was analysed by precipitation with methanol followed by a 1.9 min isocratic liquid chromatography tandem masspectrometry analysis using an Acquity BEH C₁₈ column with methanol and formic acid using isotope labelled internal standards. Analytes were detected in multireaction monitoring mode on a Xevo TQ. Semi‐quantification of vemurafenib metabolites was performed using the same analytical system and sample preparation with gradient elution. The vemurafenib method was successfully validated in the range 0.5–100 μg/mL according to international guidelines. The metabolite method was partially validated owing to the lack of commercially available reference materials. For the first time concentration levels at steady state for melanoma patients treated with vemurafenib is presented. The low abundance of vemurafenib metabolites suggests that they lack clinical significance. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Plasma lipid analysis by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

A novel method for the analysis of endogenous lipids and related compounds was developed employing hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. A hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography with carbamoyl stationary phase achieved clear separation of phosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylcholine, sphingomyelin, ceramide, and mono‐hexsosyl ceramide groups with good peak area repeatability (RSD% < 10) and linearity (R² > 0.99). The established method was applied to human plasma assays and a total of 117 endogenous lipids were successfully detected and reproducibly identified. In addition, we investigated the simultaneous detection of small polar metabolites such as amino and organic acids co‐existing in the same biological samples processed in a single analytical run with lipids. Our results show that hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography is a useful tool for human plasma lipidome analysis and offers more comprehensive metabolome coverage.     

Quantification of plasma homocitrulline using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) coupled to tandem mass spectrometry

Homocitrulline (HCit), an amino acid formed by the carbamylation of ε-amino groups of lysine residues, is considered a promising biomarker for monitoring diseases such as chronic renal failure and atherosclerosis. This paper describes a tandem mass spectrometric method for total, protein-bound and free HCit measurement in plasma samples. HCit was separated from other plasma components by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography. Detection was achieved by monitoring transitions of 190.1 > 127.1 and 190.1 > 173.1 for HCit, and 183.1 > 120.2 for d₇-citrulline used as internal standard. This method allowed HCit quantification within 5.2 min and was precise (inter-assay CV < 5.85%), accurate (mean recoveries ranging from 97% to 106%), and exhibited a good linearity from 10 nmol/L to 1.6 μmol/L. Plasma samples from control and uremic mice (n = 10) were analyzed. In control mice, mean total plasma HCit concentration was 0.78 ± 0.12 μmol/mol amino acids, whereas it was increased 2.7-fold in uremic mice plasma, reaching 2.10 ± 0.50 μmol/mol amino acids (p < 0.001). In conclusion, this method exhibits good analytical performances and meets the criteria of sensitivity suitable for HCit concentration assessment in plasma samples.     

Fast quantification of endogenous carbohydrates in plasma using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry

Endogenous carbohydrates in biosamples are frequently highlighted as the most differential metabolites in many metabolomics studies. A simple, fast, simultaneous quantitative method for 16 endogenous carbohydrates in plasma has been developed using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. In order to quantify 16 endogenous carbohydrates in plasma, various conditions, including columns, chromatographic conditions, mass spectrometry conditions, and plasma preparation methods, were investigated. Different conditions in this quantified analysis were performed and optimized. The reproducibility, precision, recovery, matrix effect, and stability of the method were verified. The results indicated that a methanol/acetonitrile (50:50, v/v) mixture could effectively and reproducibly precipitate rat plasma proteins. Cold organic solvents coupled with vortex for 1 min and incubated at –20°C for 20 min were the most optimal conditions for protein precipitation and extraction. The results, according to the linearity, recovery, precision, matrix effect, and stability, showed that the method was satisfactory in the quantification of endogenous carbohydrates in rat plasma. The quantified analysis of endogenous carbohydrates in rat plasma performed excellently in terms of sensitivity, high throughput, and simple sample preparation, which met the requirement of quantification in specific expanded metabolomic studies after the global metabolic profiling research.     

Development and validation of a hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous detection and quantification of etilefrine and oxilofrine in equine blood plasma and urine

A sensitive hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the simultaneous detection and quantification of etilefrine and oxilofrine in equine blood plasma and urine. The method is highly sensitive and specific with good precision and accuracy. In plasma the limit of detection and limit of quantification are 0.03 and 0.1 ng/mL, respectively, for both analytes. In urine the limit of detection and limit of quantification are 0.3 and 1 ng/mL, respectively, for both analytes. The suitability of the method for doping control analysis in equine species is demonstrated by analyzing postadministration samples collected after a single intravenous administration of 50 mg etilefrine to a standardbred mare. Etilefrine was detected up to 120 h in urine and up to 48 h in plasma. Etilefrine is highly conjugated in equine urine whereas it exists in the free form in equine plasma. Therefore, enzyme hydrolysis prior to sample preparation is recommended for the detection and quantification of etilefrine and oxilofrine in equine urine.     

An ion-pairing liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric method for the determination of cytarabine in mouse plasma

An ion-pairing high-performance liquid chromatographic (IP-HPLC) system interfaced with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) source and a tandem mass spectrometer (MS/MS) with minimal sample preparation was developed for the determination of cytarabine (ara-C), a very hydrophilic anticancer drug, in mouse plasma. A conventional reversed-phase chromatographic column in combination with two ion-pairing reagents was adapted for retention and separation of ara-C from the endogenous interferences in mouse plasma. The effects of the experimental conditions such as the fraction of ion-pairing reagents and organic solvents in the mobile phase on the chromatographic performance and the ionization efficiency of ara-C were investigated. The potential of ionization suppression resulting from the endogenous biological materials on the IP-HPLC/MS/MS method was evaluated using the post-column infusion technique. Furthermore, the feasibility of the proposed IP-HPLC/MS/MS procedure for analysis of ara-C in the mouse plasma was demonstrated by comparison with those obtained by the porous graphite carbon column (PGC) HPLC/MS/MS method.     

Screening method for the analysis of antiviral drugs in poultry tissues using zwitterionic hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

A screening method for the analysis of seven anti-viral drugs in poultry tissue has been developed. These include anti-influenza drugs (amantadine, rimantadine, zanamivir and oseltamivir and its carboxylate metabolite), anti-herpes drugs (acyclovir and ganciclovir) and an immunomodulator (imiquimod). Poultry tissue was extracted in acetonitrile:water:acetic acid. After sample purification, using a strong cation exchange column, the eluate was split into two fractions. The first portion was dissolved in methanol:water and the second in acetonitrile:methanol:water. Both fractions were analysed on a zwitterionic hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography column coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. The screening method was successfully validated according to Commission Decision 2002/657/EC in three different laboratories with CCβ concentrations of ≤10 μg kg(-1).     

Development and validation of a liquid chromatographic-electrospray tandem mass spectrometric multiresidue method for anthelmintics in milk

A liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric multiresidue method for the simultaneous quantitative determination of the tetrahydroimidazole, levamisole and the benzimidazoles thiabendazole, oxfendazole, oxibendazole, albendazole, fenbendazole, febantel and triclabendazole in milk has been developed and validated. The anthelmintic residues were extracted with ethyl acetate. The liquid chromatographic separation was performed on a reversed-phase C18 column with gradient elution. The analytes were detected by tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry after positive electrospray ionisation by multiple reaction monitoring. The confirmatory method is very sensitive and each component can be detected at a residue level lower than 1 microgram/l. The method is validated according to the revised European Union requirements and all parameters were found conform the criteria. The evaluated parameters were linearity, specificity, stability, recovery, precision (repeatability and within-laboratory reproducibility) and analytical limits (detection limit, decision limit and detection capability). This analytical method is applied in the Belgian monitoring programme for classical anthelmintic veterinary drugs in raw farm cow's milk.     

Development and validation of a liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric method for the determination of 39 mycotoxins in wheat and maize

This paper describes the first validated method for the determination of 39 mycotoxins in wheat and maize using a single extraction step followed by liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS/MS) without the need for any clean-up. The 39 analytes included A- and B-trichothecenes (including deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside), zearalenone and related derivatives, fumonisins, enniatins, ergot alkaloids, ochratoxins, aflatoxins and moniliformin. The large number and the chemical diversity of the analytes required the application of the positive as well as the negative ion ESI mode in two consecutive chromatographic runs of 21 min each. The solvent mixture acetonitrile/water/acetic acid 79 + 20 + 1 (v/v/v) has been determined as the best compromise for the extraction of the analytes from wheat and maize. Raw extracts were diluted 1 + 1 and were injected without any clean-up. Ion-suppression effects due to co-eluting matrix components were negligible in the case of wheat, whereas significant signal suppression for 12 analytes was observed in maize, causing purely proportional systematic errors. Method performance characteristics were determined after spiking blank samples on multiple levels in triplicate. Coefficients of variation of the overall process of <5.1% and <3.0% were obtained for wheat and maize, respectively, from linear calibration data. Limits of detection ranged from 0.03 to 220 microg/kg. Apparent recoveries (including both the recoveries of the extraction step and matrix effects) were within the range of 100 +/- 10% for approximately half of the analytes. In extreme cases the apparent recoveries dropped to about 20%, but this could be compensated for to a large extent by the application of matrix-matched standards to correct for matrix-induced signal suppression, as only a few analytes such as nivalenol and the fumonisins exhibited incomplete extraction. For deoxynivalenol and zearalenone, the trueness of the method was confirmed through the analysis of certified reference materials.     

A liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometric method for in vivo dose monitoring of diepoxybutane, a metabolite of butadiene

1,3-Butadiene, a common air pollutant formed in the combustion of organic matter, has been assessed by the U.S. EPA to be a strongly carcinogenic compound. This risk assessment is very uncertain because of the lack of information on the dose of the powerful carcinogenic metabolite diepoxybutane (DEB). This report presents an analytical method for in vivo dose monitoring of a unique marker for DEB. For a large number of alkylating agents in vivo doses are monitored by measurement by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) of adducts to N-terminal valine in hemoglobin (Hb), using a modified Edman degradation method. This method is applicable to monofunctional epoxides from butadiene. However, in reaction with N-terminal valine, DEB forms an adduct which is ring-closed to a pyrrolidine, N,N-(2,3-dihydroxy-1,4-butadiyl)valine, with a tertiary amino group that prevents detachment of the alkylated valine by the Edman reagent. Therefore a method has been developed based on the analysis by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS) of the N-modified N-terminal peptides enriched after trypsin digestion of globin. In this study Hb samples from mice injected intraperitoneally with (+/-)-DEB were examined qualitatively and quantitatively with regard to the ring-closed adduct. The N-terminal pyrrolidine-heptapeptide was identified in treated mice. The highest adduct levels were obtained in samples from animals given the highest dose of DEB and the adduct levels were below the detection level in control mice.     

Development and validation of a liquid chromatographic/tandem mass spectrometric method for determination of tetracycline in human plasma: application to bioequivalence study

A fast, sensitive, and specific liquid chromatographic/tandem mass spectrometric method was developed and validated for determination of tetracycline in human plasma. Tetracycline and oxytetracycline [internal standard (IS)] were extracted from the plasma by protein precipitation. The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile-formic acid 0.1% (48 + 52, v/v), run at a flow rate of 1 ml/min (split 1:5). Detection was performed by positive electrospray ionization in multiple reaction monitoring mode, monitoring the transitions 444.8 > 410.0 and 461.0 > 426.0 for tetracycline and IS, respectively. The analysis was performed in 3.5 min and the method was linear in the plasma concentration range of 50-6000 ng/mL. The mean extraction recoveries for tetracycline and IS from plasma were 92.14 and 94.04%, respectively. Method validation investigated parameters such as the linearity, precision, accuracy, specificity, and stability, giving results within the acceptable range. The proposed method was successfully applied for determination of tetracycline in human plasma samples to support bioequivalence studies.