Liquid chromatographic determination of trimethylamine in water

A method for the selective determination of trimethylamine (TMA) in aqueous matrices by liquid chromatography is reported. The proposed procedure is based on the derivatization of the analyte with 9-fluorenylmethyl chloroformate (FMOC) in a precolumn (Hypersil C18, 30 microm, 20 mm x 2.1 mm i.d.) connected on-line to the analytical column (LiChrosphere 100 RP18, 5 microm, 125 mm x 4 mm i.d.). Gradient elution was performed with a mixture of acetonitrile-water-0.05 M borate buffer (pH 9.0). The method has been applied to the direct determination of TMA in water within the 0.25-10.0 microg/ml concentration interval, and can also be adapted to the determination of TMA over the range 0.05-1.0 microg/ml by incorporating a preconcentration stage with C18 solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges. Good linearity, reproducibility and accuracy was achieved within the tested concentration intervals. The limits of detection at 262 nm were 50 and 5 ng/ml for the direct method and for the method involving preconcentration, respectively. The proposed conditions allowed the selective determination of TMA in the presence of other primary and secondary short-chain aliphatic amines. The utility of the described procedure has been tested by determining TMA in different water samples.     

On-line immunoaffinity column-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for trace analysis of diuron in wastewater treatment plant effluent sample

An on-line immunoaffinity column with liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (IAC-LC-MS/MS) method for the determination of diuron in water matrices was described. This method used a sol-gel immunoaffinity column (20 mm x 4 mm I.D.) for on-line sample cleanup and enrichment, a monolithic analytical column (100 mm x 4.6 mm I.D.) for separation, and a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer for quantitation. The major challenges for the on-line set-up were discussed. The optimized on-line protocol was emphasized by the fact that low limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 1.0 ng/L was achieved with only 2.5-mL sample. In addition, a satisfactory accuracy ( approximately 90% of recovery) and precision (<6% of relative standard deviation) at 50 ng/L concentration were also obtained. Due to the ability of the sol-gel immunoaffinity column to eliminate matrix effect, the on-line IAC-LC-MS/MS analysis method can reliably determine diuron in wastewater treatment plant effluent sample.     

Combining restricted access material (RAM) and turbulent flow for the rapid on-line extraction of the cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor rofecoxib in plasma samples

Restricted access material (RAM) has been used in the packing of a solid-phase extraction (SPE) column for on-line extractions under turbulent flow conditions. The bio-compatible RAM material works by the principle of size exclusion in addition to conventional reversed-phase chromatography, thereby allowing the extraction and preconcentration of small analyte molecules from biological samples such as plasma. Using small column dimensions (0.76 mm x 50 mm) and a consequently high linear velocity, turbulent flow was achieved during online sample extractions. The improved mass-transfer rate characteristic of turbulent flow allows fast sample cleanup without decreased extraction efficiency. The novel use of the RAM column, connected upstream to a C18 monolithic column, allowed the direct injection, extraction, separation, and MS/MS detection of plasma samples spiked with rofecoxib in a span of 5 min. Calibration curves obtained using this RAM turbulent flow coupled column method showed good linearity (R2 > 0.99) and reproducibility (%RSD < or = 7%). The lower limit of quantitation of rofecoxib in plasma samples was found to be 40 ng/ml. The extraction method showed good recovery of rofecoxib from a plasma matrix with minimal signal loss and robustness after more than 200 plasma injections.     

Simple and sensitive liquid chromatographic quantitative analysis of the novel marine anticancer drug Yondelis (ET-743, trabectedin) in human plasma using column switching and tandem mass spectrometric detection

The development of a simple and sensitive assay for the quantitative analysis of the marine anticancer agent Yondelis (ET-743, trabectedin) in human plasma using liquid chromatography (LC) with column switching and tandem mass spectrometric (MS/MS) detection is described. After protein precipitation with methanol, diluted extracts were injected on to a small LC column (10 x 3.0 mm i.d.) for on-line concentration and further clean-up of the sample. Next, the analyte and deuterated internal standard were back-flushed on to an analytical column for separation and subsequent detection in an API 2000 triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer. The lower limit of quantitation was 0.05 ng mL(-1) using 100 micro l of plasma with a linear dynamic range up to 2.5 ng ml(-1). Validation of the method was performed according to the most recent FDA guidelines for bioanalytical method validation. The time needed for off-line sample preparation has been reduced 10-fold compared with an existing LC/MS/MS method for ET-743 in human plasma, employing a labor-intensive solid-phase extraction procedure for sample pretreatment. The proposed column switching method was successfully applied in phase II clinical trials with Yondelis and pharmacokinetic monitoring.     

Analysis of bisphenols in soft drinks by on-line solid phase extraction fast liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

In this study, an automated on-line solid-phase extraction coupled to fast liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (on-line SPE fast LC–MS/MS) method was developed for the simultaneous analysis of bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol F (BPF), bisphenol E (BPE), bisphenol B (BPB) and bisphenol S (BPS) in canned soft drinks without any previous sample treatment. A C18 (12 μm particle size) loading column was used for the SPE on-line preconcentration before the liquid chromatography baseline separation of bisphenol compounds using a C18 Fused-Core™ (50 mm × 2.1 mm i.d.) column, which took less than 3 min. Gradient elution and heated electrospray were used to reduce matrix effect and improve ionization efficiency. To select the most intense and selective transitions, fragmentation studies were performed by multiple-stage mass spectrometry in an ion trap mass analyzer and tandem mass spectrometry in a triple quadrupole instrument, this latter instrument being used for quantitation in SRM mode. Quality parameters of the method were established and we obtained a simple, fast, reproducible (RSD values lower than 10%) and accurate (precision higher than 93%) method for the analysis of bisphenols in canned soft drinks at the ng L⁻¹ level using matrix-matched calibration.     

On-line SPE-Nano-LC-Nanospray-MS for rapid and sensitive determination of perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate in river water

An instrumental set up including on-line solid-phase extraction, nano-liquid chromatography, and nanospray mass spectrometry is constructed to improve the sensitivity for quantitation of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in surface water. Sample volumes of 1000 microL are loaded onto a microbore 1.0-mm i.d. x 5 mm, 5 microm Kromasil C(18) enrichment column by a carrier solution consisting of 10mM ammonium acetate in acetonitrile-water (10:90, v/v) at a flow rate of 250 microL/min, providing on-line analyte enrichment and sample clean-up. Backflushed elution onto a 0.1-mm i.d. x 150 mm, 3.5 microm Kromasil C(18) analytical column is conducted using an acetonitrile-10mM ammonium acetate solvent gradient from 30% to 70% acetonitrile. Water samples are added with internal standard (perfluoroheptanoic acid) and filtrated prior to injection. The mass limits of detection of PFOA and PFOS are 0.5 and 1 pg, respectively, corresponding to concentration limits of detection of 500 pg/L and 1 ng/L, respectively. The total time spent on sample preparation, chromatography, and detection is approximately 12 min per sample. The method was employed for the determination of PFOS and PFOA in urban river water.     

Determination of tetracyclines residues in honey by on-line solid-phase extraction high-performance liquid chromatography

An automated system using on-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet (UV) detection was developed for the determination of tetracyclines (TCs), such as tetracycline (TC), oxytetracycline (OTC), chlortetracycline (CTC), metacycline (MC), and doxycycline (DC) in honey. One milliliter diluted honey sample was injected into a conditioned C18 SPE column and the matrix was washed out with water for 3 min. By rotation of the switching valve, TCs were eluted and transferred to the analytical column by the chromatographic mobile phase. Chromatographic conditions were optimized. TCs were separated in less than 8 min with a gradient elution using a mixture of 0.8% formic acid and acetonitrile. The UV detection was performed at 365 nm. The conditions for on-line SPE, including solvent and total time for loading sample and washing matrix were also optimized. Time for extraction and separation decreased greatly. For the five kinds of TCs, the limits of detection (LODs) at a signal-to-noise of 3 ranged from 5 to 12 ng g⁻¹. The relative standard deviations (R.S.D.) for the determination of TCs ranged from 3.4 to 7.1% within a day and ranged from 3.2 to 8.9% in 3 days, respectively.     

On-line solid-phase extraction of piroxicam prior to its determination by high-performance liquid chromatography

A direct method for the determination of piroxicam in plasma is described. Plasma is directly injected onto the extraction column (10 mm x 2 mm I.D., packed with 40-microns Bond Elut C2) where proxicam is separated from the plasma concomitants using a solid-phase extraction procedure. Using a laboratory-made on-line column-switching system, the drug is quantitatively transferred and separated on the analytical column (15 cm x 4.6 mm I.D., Supelcosil LC18 DB, 5 microns) followed by determination using ultraviolet absorption at 331 nm. Validation of the method demonstrated a good recovery (100%), sensitivity (limit of determination 0.2 microgram/ml, based on a 20-microliters sample volume), accuracy and precision (better than 5%). The developed method has been adopted for studying the steady-state pharmacokinetics of the drug.     

Determination of estrogens and bisphenol A in bovine milk by automated on-line C30 solid-phase extraction coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry

Using triacontyl bonded silica (C₃₀) as on-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) material and a specially designed on-line analytical system which allowed large sample volume injection, a high speed and robust on-line SPE-HPLC–MS method was established for the analysis of five estrogens and bisphenol A (BPA) in milk samples. The milk sample is pretreated with acetonitrile for protein precipitation and then treated with primary secondary amine for the removal of polar impurities in the matrix. Then the pretreated sample can be automatically loaded by a LC pump. For effective extraction, an offshoot with NH₄Ac solution of high-flow rate was employed to dilute the loaded sample by a mixing tee before sample was loaded onto the C₃₀ extraction column. In this way, large volume injection (1 mL in this experiment) could be achieved. Some important parameters such as sample loading flow rate, sample dilution ratio and injection volume were optimized. Under the optimized conditions, the recoveries for all analytes range from 71.4 to 97.1% and reproducibility represented as RSDs are less than 15.0% (n = 5) with milk samples spiked at 0.6 and 15 ng/mL of each analyte. To the authors’ knowledge, it constitutes the first work describing a C₃₀ on-line SPE-LC–MS analytical method for the screen and monitoring of these estrogens and BPA in milk.     

Automated trace level determination of glyphosate and aminomethyl phosphonic acid in water by on-line anion-exchange solid-phase extraction followed by cation-exchange liquid chromatography and post-column derivatization.

An automated method based on the on-line coupling of anion-exchange solid-phase extraction (SPE) and cation-exchange liquid chromatography followed by post-column derivatization and fluorescence detection has been developed for the trace level determination of glyphosate and its primary conversion product aminomethyl phosphonic acid (AMPA) in water. PRP-X100 poly(styrene-divinylbenzene)-trimethylammonium anion-exchange cartridges (20 x 2 mm, 10 microm) were selected for the SPE of glyphosate and AMPA. The ionic compounds present in the samples strongly influenced the extraction of both analytes; however, when an on-line ion-exchange clean-up step was introduced before sample SPE, the problem was largely solved. By processing 100-ml samples detection limits better than 0.02 microg/l for glyphosate and 0.1 microg/l for AMPA were achieved in river water. Both analytes were unstable in solution and the approach of storing samples on the PRP-X100 SPE cartridges was evaluated for a period of 1 month under three different storage conditions (deep freeze, refrigeration and 20 degrees C).     

Use of solid-phase extraction in various of its modalities for sample preparation in the determination of estrogens and progestogens in sediment and water.

The environmental analysis of estrogens and progestogens at physiologically active concentrations (low ng/l range) requires the use of very sensitive and selective methods, which, in most cases, make necessary an extraction/purification step. In this study, various procedures for the determination of several estrogens (estriol, estradiol, ethynyl estradiol, estrone, and diethylstilbestrol) and progestogens (progesterone, norethindrone, and levonorgestrel) in environmental matrices, including water and river sediment, are described. In all procedures, final analysis of the target compounds is performed by reversed-phase liquid chromatography-diode array detection-mass spectrometry, whereas sample preparation always includes a solid-phase extraction (SPE) step. For this SPE step. various types of sorbents, protocols, and devices have been used, and their respective advantages and disadvantages are discussed. For the off-line SPE of estrogens and progestogens from water samples, a syringe type cartridge LiChrolut RP-18 (500 mg) was selected out of two other sorbents--LiChrolut EN (200 mg) and Isolut ENV (500 mg)--for use with the automated sample preparation instrument ASPEC XL. For the on-line SPE and analysis of water samples the 10 mm x 2 mm I.D. HySphere-Resin-GP cartridge, was preferred to the C18 Baker, the PLRP-S, and the Oasis HLB. for use with the Prospekt system. A completely manual protocol based on the use of Sep-Pak C18 Plus cartridges was developed for purification of sediment extracts. All procedures were shown to be linear over a wide range of concentration, exhibited satisfactory repeatability and accuracy, and reached limits of detection usually in the low ng/l and ng/g range. Comparatively, the on-line method was shown to be advantageous in terms of automation and general method performance.     

Applicability of multisyringe chromatography coupled to on-line solid-phase extraction to the simultaneous determination of dicamba, 2,4-D, and atrazine

Simultaneous determination of three herbicides (dicamba, 2,4-D, and atrazine) has been achieved by on-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled to multisyringe chromatography (MSC) with UV detection. The preconcentration conditions were optimized; a preconcentration flow rate of 0.5 mL min(-1) and elution at 0.8 mL min(-1) were the optimum conditions. A C(18) (8 mm i.d.) membrane extraction disk conditioned with 0.3 mol L(-1) HCl in 0.5% MeOH was used. A 3-mL sample was preconcentrated, then eluted with 0.43 mL 40:60 water-MeOH. A C(18) monolithic column (25 mm × 4.6 mm) was used for chromatographic separation. Separation of the three compounds was achieved in 10 min by use of 0.01% aqueous acetic acid-MeOH (60:40) as mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.8 mL min(-1). The limits of detection (LOD) were 13, 57, and 22 μg L(-1) for dicamba, 2,4-D, and atrazine, respectively. The sampling frequency was three analyses per hour, and each analysis consumed only 7.3 mL solvent. The method was applied to spiked water samples, and recovery between 85 and 112% was obtained. Recovery was significantly better than in the conventional HPLC-UV method. These results indicated the reliability and accuracy of this flow-based method. This is the first time this family of herbicides has been simultaneously analyzed by on-line SPE-MSC using a monolithic column.     

Analysis of a basic drug by on-line solid-phase extraction liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry using a mixed mode sorbent

Two on-line configurations using multiple 6- and 10-port valves were investigated for high-flow on-line extraction of a basic drug in rat plasma and human urine using a reversed-phase and a cation-exchange SPE sorbent. The first configuration studied was a single reversed-phase extraction cartridge (2.1 x 20 mm, 25 microm) using an optimized washing protocol. The results showed that up to 1.5 mL of sample (urine or plasma diluted 1:1) can be injected with limits of quantification (LOQs) as low as 100 pg/mL. The second configuration studied was the combination of a cation exchanger and a reversed-phase cartridge using at-column dilution. The results showed better LOQs than those obtained with the single cartridge at 10 pg/mL with the same injection volume. The mass spectrometer was operated in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. All calibration curves gave an average of 5% relative standard deviation (RSD).     

亚胺连接的多孔共价有机骨架材料结合固相萃取-液相色谱-串联质谱检测蜂蜜中雌激素

以亚胺连接的多孔共价有机骨架材料(IL-COF-1)作为固相萃取的吸附剂,建立了液相色谱-串联质谱快速检测蜂蜜样品中痕量雌激素的方法。该研究选择雌二醇、己烯雌酚、雌三醇、β-雌二醇和炔雌醇5种雌激素作为目标分析物。在蜂蜜样品中添加雌激素,采用单因素优化法对影响萃取效果的重要因素进行优化,获得最佳条件:IL-COF-1用量为30 mg,样品流速为3 mL/min,样品溶液pH值为7,以5 mL的1%(v/v)氨水-甲醇溶液进行洗脱,流速为0.4 mL/min,萃取过程中不添加NaCl。采用高效液相色谱-三重四极杆质谱联用技术对提取物中的雌激素进行定量分析。以乙腈和5 mmol/L的乙酸铵溶液作为流动相进行梯度洗脱,经C18色谱柱分离,采用电喷雾离子源、质谱多反应监测和负离子扫描模式,实现了蜂蜜样品中5种雌激素的快速定性定量分析。在最佳条件下,方法验证结果中雌三醇、β-雌二醇和炔雌醇的线性范围为1~500 ng/g,雌二醇和己烯雌酚的线性范围为0.1~100 ng/g,相关系数(r)为0.9934~0.9972。检出限(S/N=3)为0.01~0.30 ng/g,定量限(S/N=10)为0.05~0.95 ng/g。添加50 ng/g 5种雌激素进行重复性实验,日内精密度相对标准偏差(RSD)为3.2%~6.6%,日间精密度RSD为4.2%~7.9%。基于IL-COF-1的固相萃取-液相色谱-串联质谱法具有快速准确、灵敏度高等特点,适用于蜂蜜中雌激素的分析和检测。将该方法应用于4个实际蜂蜜样品中雌激素的检测,均未检出目标物;在低中高3个水平下,5种雌激素的加标回收率为80.1%~115.2%,结果令人满意。     

A new approach to the effective preparation of plasma samples for rapid drug quantitation using on-line solid phase extraction mass spectrometry.

A procedure that permits rapid development of an optimized solid phase extraction (SPE) method for the analysis of drugs in plasma by on-line solid phase extraction-mass spectrometry (SPE-MS) has been developed. This procedure employs the concept of manipulating the pH and the percentage of organic solvent in the chromatographic mobile phase to affect the retention behaviors of both the matrix components and the analytes of interest. This resulted in the effective removal of matrix interferences from biological samples during SPE. During a the method development, only generic HPLC gradient approaches were needed, and multiple samples were pooled so that several SPE methods could be investigated at once. The analysis time per sample was 1.3 minutes. Thus, the time involved in the entire method development (analysis of a set of samples) was less than one hour. With the knowledge of the retention behaviors of the analytes with respect to the pH and the percentage of organic, it was then possible to compose an optimized SPE-MS method. This method consisted of a base/organic and then an acid/organic washing step, followed by a rapid gradient elution step. Due to the rigorous washing procedure, most matrix interferences were removed, and analytes eluted off the SPE sorbent suffered from very little matrix interference. Thus, quantitation of drugs in plasma by a single quadrupole mass spectrometer could be accomplished, something that was not possible when only a generic gradient was used for on-line SPE-MS. In addition, both external and internal calibration curves could be obtained for the concentration range from 5 to 500 ng/mL with correlation coefficients of 0.99 (using 1/x as a weighting factor) and relative standard deviations (RSDs) less than 10%. The results achieved were comparable to those obtained by the use of a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. Moreover, the robustness of the method was tested by continuously injecting plasma samples. During 136 runs, the absolute peak area variation for these three basic drugs was less than 15% without taking the signal variation from the mass spectrometer into account. Significantly, the on-line developed method can be directly transferred to a 96-well format SPE plate.     

Analysis of chlortetracycline by high performance liquid chromatography with postcolumn alkaline-induced fluorescence detection.

A high performance liquid chromatographic method for the analysis of chlortetracycline (CTC) using postcolumn fluorescence detection has been developed. After chromatographic separation of CTC on a polystyrene-divinylbenzene copolymer column, a highly fluorescent derivative isochlortetracycline (iso-CTC) was formed postcolumn in an on-line reaction coil with the addition of 25% NaOH (w/v). Chromatographic separation was achieved on a PRP-1 column, 15 cm x 4.6 mm, with 27:73 acetonitrile:0.2% perchloric acid (v/v), at 1.0 mL/min. Fluorescence derivatization was achieved by the on-line addition of 25% NaOH (w/v), at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min, into the column eluant in a post-column reaction coil. The reaction coil was 9 m of teflon (1/16 in o.d., 0.3 mm i.d.) knitted into a six-sided coil. The fluorescent derivative was detected at lambda ex 355 nm and lambda em > 389 nm. Using this method after a simple sample cleanup, CTC can be detected in milk at 0.04 micrograms/mL, which is comparable to that obtained by microbiological assays. The detection method was linear between 0.02 micrograms/mL and 4 micrograms/mL. Because of the chromatographic separation, the method is more selective than microbiological assays and more sensitive than ultraviolet detection. With the chromatographic system described, the keto tautomeric forms of CTC and 4-epi-CTC are separated in a system which minimizes their formation on-column. In acidic aqueous organic solutions, the keto tautomer of CTC is the only product formed to any significant amount.     

Automated high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of amphetamine in biological fluids using column-switching and on-column derivatization

Summary A rapid and simple liquid-chromatographic method has been developed for on-line quantification of amphetamine in biological fluids. Untreated samples (20 μL) are injected directly into the chromatographic system and purified on a 20 mm×2.1 mm i.d. pre-column packed with 30 μm Hypersil C₁₈ stationary phase. After clean-up the analyte is transferred to the analytical column (125 mm×4 mm i.d., 5 μm LiChrospher 100 RP₁₈) for derivatization and separation using a mixture of acetonitrile and the derivatization reagent (o-phthaldialdehyde andN-acetyl-L-cysteine) as the mobile phase. The experimental conditions for on-line derivatization and resolution of the amphetamine have been optimized, and the results have been compared with those obtained by derivatizing the analyte in pre-column mode. The method described has been applied to the determination of amphetamine in plasma and urine. Good linearity and reproducibility were obtained in the 0.1–10.0 μg mL⁻¹ concentration range, and limits of detection were 25 ng mL⁻¹ and 10 ng mL⁻¹ with UV and fluorescence detection, respectively. The procedure described is very simple and rapid, because no off-line manipulation of the sample is required; the total analysis time is approximately 8 min.     

Selective determination of trimethylamine in air by liquid chromatography using solid phase extraction cartridges for sampling

The selective determination of trimethylamine (TMA) in air by liquid chromatography is reported. Sampling is effected by flushing air through C18-packed solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges at a flow rate of 15 mL/min for 15 min. Next, TMA is desorbed from the cartridges and injected into the chromatographic system. The analyte is then selectively retained on a precolumn (20 mm x 2.1 mm i.d., packed with 30 microm, Hypersil C18 phase), and derivatized on-line by injecting 9-fluorenylmethyl chloroformate (FMOC). Finally, the TMA-FMOC derivative is transferred to the analytical column (125 mm x 4 mm i.d., LiChrospher 100 RP18, 5 microm), and monitored at 262 nm. The method was applied to the measurement of TMA in air in the 0.25-2.5 microg interval (equivalent to concentrations of TMA of 1.1-11 mg/m3), providing good linearity, reproducibility and accuracy. The mean recovery of TMA was (96 +/- 7%) (n = 12), and the limit of detection was 0.05 microg. The proposed procedure allows the selective determination of TMA in the presence of other primary and secondary short-chain aliphatic amines.     

Development of an improved method for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in mainstream tobacco smoke

A gas chromatograph/mass-selective detection (GC/MS) method has been developed and validated for the quantitation of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons found in mainstream tobacco smoke condensate. The utilization of two types of solid-phase extraction media combined with capillary column technology removed matrix interferences, afforded a significant reduction in analysis run time, and increased accuracy. Also, the addition of a chilled impinger was used to trap semi-volatile polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and to provide more accurate data. This was done without sacrificing the repeatability, reproducibility, and precision obtained in previously published methods. The development and validation studies discussed in this paper resulted in an improved, robust analytical method capable of increasing laboratory capacity and reducing sample reporting time.     

Automated sample preparation by pressurized liquid extraction-solid-phase extraction for the liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric investigation of polyphenols in the brewing process

The analysis of polyphenols from solid plant or food samples usually requires laborious sample preparation. The liquid extraction of these compounds from the sample is compromised by apolar matrix interferences, an excess of which has to be eliminated prior to subsequent purification and separation. Applying pressurized liquid extraction to the extraction of polyphenols from hops, the use of different solvents sequentially can partly overcome these problems. Initial extraction with pentane eliminates hydrophobic compounds like hop resins and oils and enables the straightforward automated on-line solid-phase extraction as part of an optimized LC-MS analysis.