Detection of Methylphenidate in Equine Hair Using Liquid Chromatography–High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry

Methylphenidate is a powerful central nervous system stimulant with a high potential for abuse in horse racing. The detection of methylphenidate use is of interest to horse racing authorities for both prior to and during competition. The use of hair as an alternative sampling matrix for equine anti-doping has increased as the number of detectable compounds has expanded. Our laboratory developed a liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry method to detect the presence of methylphenidate in submitted samples. Briefly, hair was decontaminated, cut, and pulverized prior to liquid–liquid extraction in basic conditions before introduction to the LC-MS system. Instrumental analysis was conducted using a Thermo Q Exactive mass spectrometer using parallel reaction monitoring using a stepped collision energy to obtain sufficient product ions for qualitative identification. The method was validated and limits of quantitation, linearity, matrix effects, recovery, accuracy, and precision were determined. The method has been applied to confirm the presence of methylphenidate in official samples submitted by racing authorities.     

An Efficient Solid-Phase Microextraction–Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry Method for the Analysis of Methyl Farnesoate Released in Growth Medium by Daphnia pulex

Methyl farnesoate (MF), a juvenile hormone, can influence phenotypic traits and stimulates male production in daphnids. MF is produced endogenously in response to stressful conditions, but it is not known whether this hormone can also be released into the environment to mediate stress signaling. In the present study, for the first time, a reliable solid-phase microextraction–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) method was developed and validated for the ultra-trace analysis of MF released in growth medium by Daphnia pulex maintained in presence of crowding w/o MK801, a putative upstream inhibitor of MF endogenous production. Two different clonal lineages, I and S clones, which differ in the sensitivity to the stimuli leading to male production, were also compared. A detection limit of 1.3 ng/L was achieved, along with good precision and trueness, thus enabling the quantitation of MF at ultra-trace level. The achieved results demonstrated the release of MF by both clones at the 20 ng/L level in control conditions, whereas a significant decrease in the presence of crowding was assessed. As expected, a further reduction was obtained in the presence of MK801. These findings strengthen the link between environmental stimuli and the MF signaling pathway. Daphnia pulex, by releasing the juvenile hormone MF in the medium, could regulate population dynamics by means of an autoregulatory feedback loop that controls the intra- and extra-individual-level release of MF produced by endogenous biosynthesis.     

Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction/Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry for the Determination of 2-Nonenal and Its Application to Body Odor Analysis

The odors and emanations released from the human body can provide important information about the health status of individuals and the presence or absence of diseases. Since these components often emanate from the body surface in very small quantities, a simple sampling and sensitive analytical method is required. In this study, we developed a non-invasive analytical method for the measurement of the body odor component 2-nonenal by headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry by selective ion monitoring. Using a StableFlex PDMS/DVB fiber, 2-nonenal was efficiently extracted and enriched by fiber exposition at 50 °C for 45 min and was separated within 10 min using a DB−1 capillary column. Body odor sample was easily collected by gauze wiping. The limit of detection of 2-nonenal collected in gauze was 22 pg (S/N = 3), and the linearity was obtained in the range of 1–50 ng with a correlation coefficient of 0.991. The method successfully analyzed 2-nonenal in skin emissions and secretions and was applied to the analysis of body odor changes in various lifestyles, including the use of cosmetics, food intake, cigarette smoking, and stress load.     

Determination of Methylene Blue and Its Metabolite Residues in Aquatic Products by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry

A sensitive and reliable method was developed to determine methylene blue (MB) and its metabolite residues, including azure A (AZA), azure B (AZB), and azure C (AZC) in aquatic products by HPLC–MS/MS. The samples were extracted by acetonitrile and cleaned up by alumina-neutral (ALN) cartridges. The analytes were separated on a Sunfire C18 column (150 mm × 2.1 mm, 5 µm). The method was validated according to the European criteria of Commission Decision 2002/657/CE. Good linearity between 1–500 µg/L was obtained with correlation coefficients (R²) greater than 0.99. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 1.0 µg/kg. The average recoveries at three levels of each compound (1, 5, and 10 µg/kg) were demonstrated to be in the range of 71.8–97.5%, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) from 1.05% to 8.63%. This method was suitable for the detection of methylene blue and its metabolite residues in aquatic products.     

Nontargeted Screening Using Gas Chromatography–Atmospheric Pressure Ionization Mass Spectrometry: Recent Trends and Emerging Potential

Gas chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC–HRMS) is a powerful nontargeted screening technique that promises to accelerate the identification of environmental pollutants. Currently, most GC–HRMS instruments are equipped with electron ionization (EI), but atmospheric pressure ionization (API) ion sources have attracted renewed interest because: (i) collisional cooling at atmospheric pressure minimizes fragmentation, resulting in an increased yield of molecular ions for elemental composition determination and improved detection limits; (ii) a wide range of sophisticated tandem (ion mobility) mass spectrometers can be easily adapted for operation with GC–API; and (iii) the conditions of an atmospheric pressure ion source can promote structure diagnostic ion–molecule reactions that are otherwise difficult to perform using conventional GC–MS instrumentation. This literature review addresses the merits of GC–API for nontargeted screening while summarizing recent applications using various GC–API techniques. One perceived drawback of GC–API is the paucity of spectral libraries that can be used to guide structure elucidation. Herein, novel data acquisition, deconvolution and spectral prediction tools will be reviewed. With continued development, it is anticipated that API may eventually supplant EI as the de facto GC–MS ion source used to identify unknowns.     

In Vivo Detection of Tetrodotoxin in Takifugu obscurus Based on Solid-Phase Microextraction Coupled with Ultrahigh-Performance Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Pufferfish is nutritious and delicious, but the tetrodotoxin (TTX) that may exist in its body poses a serious safety hazard. It is important to use scientific and effective methods to detect the TTX in pufferfish, but most of the existing methods require complex pre-treatment steps and have sample lethality. The solid-phase microextraction (SPME) technology can be used for in vivo detection due to its advantages such as no solvent demand, simple operation, and fast detection speed. In this study, the GO-PAN@PNE SPME fibers were made via a dipping method, and their extraction effect was verified in the TTX aqueous and spiked fish. The established method has good reproducibility, and the limit of detection of TTX in pufferfish was 32 ng·g⁻¹, and the limit of quantitation was 150 ng·g⁻¹, which can meet the detection needs of pufferfish for safe consumption. This method was used to in vivo detect the Takifugu obscurus exposed to the TTX, to determine the content of TTX in the pufferfish muscle. The detection method established in this study can relatively quickly and easily realize the in vivo detection of TTX in the pufferfish, which can provide theoretical support for improvement in the food safety level of the pufferfish.     

薄荷卷烟中香味成分的全二维气相色谱/飞行时间质谱分析

采用全二维气相色谱/飞行时间质谱法(GC×GC/TOFMS),以较长的非极性柱DB-5MS(30m×0.25mm×0.25μm)作为第一维柱,较短的中等极性柱DB-17MS(2m×0.1mm×0.1μm)作为第二维柱,利用固相微萃取法作为香味成分的萃取方法,对薄荷型ESSE卷烟的核心香味成分进行了定性分析,TOFMS谱图库检索结合全二维特有的包含结构信息的二维谱图,通过族分离和结构谱图鉴定,共鉴定了187种挥发性成分,其中对香气有贡献的成分118种.     

Comparing Efficiency of Lysis Buffer Solutions and Sample Preparation Methods for Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Human Cells and Plasma

The use of a proper sample processing methodology for maximum proteome coverage and high-quality quantitative data is an important choice to make before initiating a liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS)-based proteomics study. Popular sample processing workflows for proteomics involve in-solution proteome digestion and single-pot, solid-phase-enhanced sample preparation (SP3). We tested them on both HeLa cells and human plasma samples, using lysis buffers containing SDS, or guanidinium hydrochloride. We also studied the effect of using commercially available depletion mini spin columns before SP3, to increase proteome coverage in human plasma samples. Our results show that the SP3 protocol, using either buffer, achieves the highest number of quantified proteins in both the HeLa cells and plasma samples. Moreover, the use of depletion mini spin columns before SP3 results in a two-fold increase of quantified plasma proteins. With additional fractionation, we quantified nearly 1400 proteins, and examined lower-abundance proteins involved in neurodegenerative pathways and mitochondrial metabolism. Therefore, we recommend the use of the SP3 methodology for biological sample processing, including those after depletion of high-abundance plasma proteins.     

Online In-Tube Solid-Phase Microextraction Coupled with Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry for Automated Analysis of Four Sulfated Steroid Metabolites in Saliva Samples

Accurate measurement of sulfated steroid metabolite concentrations can not only enable the elucidation of the mechanisms regulating steroid metabolism, but also lead to the diagnosis of various related diseases. The present study describes a simple and sensitive method for the simultaneous determination of four sulfated steroid metabolites in saliva, pregnenolone sulfate (PREGS), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), cortisol sulfate (CRTS), and 17β-estradiol-3-sulfate (E2S), by online coupling of in-tube solid-phase microextraction (IT-SPME) and stable isotope dilution liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). These compounds were extracted and concentrated on Supel-Q PLOT capillary tubes by IT-SPME and separated and detected within 6 min by LC–MS/MS using an InertSustain swift C18 column and negative ion mode multiple reaction monitoring systems. These operations were fully automated by an online program. Calibration curves using their stable isotope-labeled internal standards showed good linearity in the range of 0.01–2 ng mL⁻¹ for PREGS, DHEAS, and CRTS and of 0.05–10 ng mL⁻¹ for E2S. The limits of detection (S/N = 3) of PREGS, DHEAS, CRTS, and E2S were 0.59, 0.30, 0.80, and 3.20 pg mL⁻¹, respectively. Moreover, intraday and interday variations were lower than 11.1% (n = 5). The recoveries of these compounds from saliva samples were in the range of 86.6–112.9%. The developed method is highly sensitive and specific and can easily measure sulfated steroid metabolite concentrations in 50 μL saliva samples.     

Multi-Class Procedure for Analysis of 50 Antibacterial Compounds in Eggshells Using Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry

In this work, for the first time, Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC–MS/MS) method was developed for qualitative and quantitative analysis of veterinary antibiotics (cephalosporins, diaminopyrimidines, fluoro(quinolones), lincosamides, macrolides, penicillins, pleuromutilins, sulfonamides, tetracyclines, and sulfones) in hen eggshells. The sample preparation method is based on a liquid–liquid extraction with a mixture of metaphosphoric acid, ascorbic acid, EDTA disodium salt dihydrate, and acetonitrile. The chromatographic separation was performed on Luna^® Omega Polar C18 10 column in gradient elution mode and quantitated in an 8 min run. Validation such as linearity, selectivity, precision, recovery, matrix effect, limit of quantification (LOQ), and limit of detection (LOD) was found to be within the acceptance criteria of the validation guidelines of the Commission Decision 2002/657/EC and EUR 28099 EN. Average recoveries ranged from 81–120%. The calculated LOQ values ranged from 1 to 10 µg/kg, the LOD values ranged from 0.3 to 4.0 µg/kg, depending on analyte. The developed method has been successfully applied to the determination of antibacterial compounds in hen eggshell samples obtained from different sources. The results revealed that enrofloxacin, lincomycin, doxycycline, and oxytetracycline were detected in hen eggshell samples.     

全二维气相色谱-飞行时间质谱法测定烟草的中性化学成分

建立了采用全二维气相色谱-飞行时间质谱(GC×GC-TOFMS)分析烟草的中性化学成分的方法。以DB-Petro(50 m×200 μm×0.5 μm) 为第一维色谱柱,DB-1701(2.3 m×100 μm×0.1 μm)为第二维色谱柱;调制周期为8 s;柱头压力为550 kPa;采用程序升温方式,初始温度分别为80 ℃和85 ℃。采用所建立的方法对不同部位的烟叶、不同品种烟草中的25种中性香味成分含量进行了测定和对比。结果表明：云南楚雄产云烟85的中性香味成分(不包括新植二烯)的总量以中部叶最高,其次是上部叶,下部叶最少;国内外不同品种的烤烟中中性香味成分的含量高低顺序为：巴西烤烟最高,其次是津巴布韦烤烟、云烟85、中烟101、NC89、K326;4类烟草中中性香味成分含量最高的是香料烟,其次是白肋烟、烤烟、马里兰烟。     

Rapid Determination and Quality Control of Pharmacological Volatiles of Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) by Fast Gas Chromatography–Surface Acoustic Wave Sensor

Introduction: A novel analytical method using fast gas chromatography combined with surface acoustic wave sensor (GC-SAW) was developed for rapid determination of the pharmacological volatiles of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.). Methods: The volatile compounds in 20 turmeric samples, collected from different parts and different origins, were assessed by the fast GC-SAW. In addition, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was employed to confirm the chemical composition of the main volatiles. The digital fingerprint of turmeric was established and analysed by principal component analysis and cluster analysis. Results: Curcumene (9.1%), β-sesquiphellandrene (5.1%) and ar-turmerone (69.63%) were confirmed as the main pharmacological volatiles of turmeric. The content of ar-turmerone in lateral rhizome turmeric was significantly higher than that of top rhizome and ungrouped turmeric. The contents of curcumene and β-sesquiphellandrene in top rhizome turmeric were higher than those in lateral and ungrouped turmeric. The 20 turmeric samples were divided into four categories, which reflected the quality characteristics of the turmeric from different parts and origins. Conclusion: The GC-SAW method can rapidly and accurately detect pharmacologically volatiles of turmeric, and it can be used in the quality control of turmeric.     

全二维气相色谱/飞行时间质谱用于柴油组成的研究

将全二维气相色谱法(GC×GC)用于柴油馏分的组成分布研究,建立了两种GC×GC方法,一种用于柴油组成的详细表征,另一种用于柴油族组成的快速分离和定量,两种方法均不需要样品预处理。用前一种方法对柴油馏分中的烃类化合物、主要的含硫化合物与含氮化合物组成进行了研究;对催化裂解柴油中的27种含氮化合物和42种含硫化合物进行了定性;用后一种方法在70 min内即可完成柴油馏分族组成的定量分析,应用所建立的方法测定了4个不同来源的柴油馏分中非芳烃、一环芳烃、二环芳烃、三环芳烃的含量,定量结果与ASTM D2425法     

Automated Trimethyl Sulfonium Hydroxide Derivatization Method for High-Throughput Fatty Acid Profiling by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

Fatty acid profiling on gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) platforms is typically performed offline by manually derivatizing and analyzing small batches of samples. A GC–MS system with a fully integrated robotic autosampler can significantly improve sample handling, standardize data collection, and reduce the total hands-on time required for sample analysis. In this study, we report an optimized high-throughput GC–MS-based methodology that utilizes trimethyl sulfonium hydroxide (TMSH) as a derivatization reagent to convert fatty acids into fatty acid methyl esters. An automated online derivatization method was developed, in which the robotic autosampler derivatizes each sample individually and injects it into the GC–MS system in a high-throughput manner. This study investigated the robustness of automated TMSH derivatization by comparing fatty acid standards and lipid extracts, derivatized manually in batches and online automatically from four biological matrices. Automated derivatization improved reproducibility in 19 of 33 fatty acid standards, with nearly half of the 33 confirmed fatty acids in biological samples demonstrating improved reproducibility when compared to manually derivatized samples. In summary, we show that the online TMSH-based derivatization methodology is ideal for high-throughput fatty acid analysis, allowing rapid and efficient fatty acid profiling, with reduced sample handling, faster data acquisition, and, ultimately, improved data reproducibility.     

全二维气相色谱/飞行时间质谱(GC×GC/TOFMS)用于烟叶中挥发、半挥发性碱性化合物的组成研究

建立了烟叶中挥发性、半挥发性碱性化合物组成研究的全二维气相色谱/飞行时间质谱(GC×GC/TOFMS)分析方法, 并用所建立的方法对香料烟中碱性化合物进行了表征. 对比了一维气相色谱和全二维色谱方法用于烟叶碱性组分组成分析的效果. 一维色谱质谱方法共鉴定出45种碱性化合物. 用所建立的全二维气相色谱方法, 采用TOFMS谱图库检索结合全二维特有的包含结构信息的二维谱图, 通过族分离和结构谱图鉴定, 鉴定出了香料烟中挥发性、半挥发性碱性组分共92种. 包括吡咯类化合物6种, 吡啶类化合物39种, 吡嗪类化合物10种, 苯胺类化合物11种, 喹啉类化合物11种, 吲哚类4种和其他类化合物11种. 同时对不同类别的化合物在二维气相色谱上的分布模式进行了研究. 研究结果表明, 全二维色谱飞行时间质谱的高分辨率和特有的定性手段适合于烟叶这类复杂植物体系的化学组成研究.     

Determination of Free D‐Amino Acids in Mammalia by Chiral Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

Quantities of D‐amino acids were determined in body fluids (urine, blood plasma and blood serum, milk) of mammals (hamster, horse, bovine, sheep, pig, and dog). Amino acids were isolated using a cation exchanger and converted into their N(O)‐pentafluoropropionyl (or trifluoroacetyl) amino acid 2‐propyl esters. Enantiomers were separated and quantified on a Chirasil‐L‐Val capillary column with mass spectrometric detection using selected ion monitoring. D‐Enantiomers of most protein L‐amino acids were detected. Largest absolute and relative amounts in most cases were determined for D‐Ser and D‐Ala in urine. Stereoisomers of 2,6‐diaminopimelic acid were also measured in bovine, ovine, and porcine urine. Since D‐amino acids were detected in all representative classes of the major orders of Mammalia, namely Artiodactyla, Perissodactyla, Rodentia, and Carnivora, and taking reports in the literature into account, it is postulated that D‐amino acids occur in all mammals.     

Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography with Mass Spectrometric Detection (GC × GC/MS) Applied to the Analysis of Petroleum

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometric detection (GC × GC/MS) is a three-dimensional analytical method. In its application to petroleum analysis, the high peak capacity of GC × GC produced chromatographic resolution of over 750 peaks from a marine diesel fuel. The MS detector provided a full-scan mass spectrum for each resolved peak. The integration of an MS detector with GC × GC provides increased capability to identify minor components, determine members of homologous series, and characterize ordered peak patterns of related components that are visible in the GC × GC chromatogram.     

慢性乙型肝炎患者呼出气体的电喷雾萃取电离质谱分析

应用电喷雾萃取电离质谱法对慢性乙型肝炎患者(41例)及正常人(34例)的呼出气体样本进行检测,迅速获得其一级质谱指纹谱图,采用化学计量学方法主成分分析(PCA)和聚类分析(CA)对所获得的一级质谱数据进行处理后,可有效区分患者与正常人群,且不同临床类型慢性乙肝聚类分析图谱有不同表现,此结果有助于慢性乙型肝炎的临床诊断和病情分析.另外,本方法也为发展简单、快速、非侵入性慢性乙型肝炎临床诊断方法提供解决思路.     

Characterization of Aroma Compounds in Cooked Sorghum Using Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry and Gas Chromatography-Olfactometry-Mass Spectrometry

Sorghum is the major raw material for the production of Chinese Baijiu (Chinese liquor) and has a great effect on the flavor of Baijiu. Volatiles in cooked glutinous and non-glutinous sorghum samples were extracted using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and analyzed via comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS) and gas chromatography-olfactometry/mass spectrometry (GC-O/MS). A total of 145 volatile compounds and 52 potent odorant compounds were identified from both sorghum types according to the retention index, MS, aroma, and standards. Based on their aroma features, the compounds were grouped into eight general categories, and the intensities of each aroma group were summed. Moreover, most of the compounds detected in the cooked sorghums were also detected in commercial Chinese Baijiu, indicating that the aroma compounds produced during the sorghum cooking process have a direct and significant influence on the final flavor quality of Baijiu.     

Simultaneous Analysis for Quality Control of Traditional Herbal Medicine,Gungha-Tang,Using Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Gungha-tang (GHT), a traditional herbal medicine, consists of nine medicinal herbs (Cnidii Rhizoma, Pinelliae Tuber, Poria Sclerotium, Citri Unshius Pericarpium, Citri Unshius Pericarpium Immaturus, Aurantii Fructus Immaturus, Atracylodis Rhizoma Alba, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, and Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens). It has been used for various diseases caused by phlegm. This study aimed to develop and verify the simultaneous liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) analysis method, using nine marker components (liquiritin apioside, neoeriocitrin, narirutin, naringin, hesperidin, neohesperidin, liquiritigenin, glycyrrhizin, and 6-shogaol) for quality control of GHT. LC–MS/MS analysis was conducted using a Waters TQ-XS system. All marker analytes were separated on a Waters Acquity UPLC BEH C₁₈ column (2.1 × 100 mm, 1.7 μm) using gradient elution with a distilled water solution (containing 5 mM ammonium formate and 0.1% [v/v] formic acid)–acetonitrile mobile phase. LC–MS/MS multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) analysis was carried out in negative and positive ion modes of an electrospray ionization source. The developed LC–MS/MS MRM method was validated by examining the linearity, limits of detection and quantification, recovery, and precision. LOD and LOQ values of nine markers were calculated as 0.02–8.33 ng/mL and 0.05–25.00 ng/mL. The recovery was determined to be 89.00–118.08% and precision was assessed with a coefficient of variation value of 1.74–8.64%. In the established LC–MS/MS MRM method, all markers in GHT samples were detected at 0.003–16.157 mg/g. Information gathered during the development and verification of the LC–MS/MS method will be useful for the quality assessment of GHT and other herbal medicines.