Measurement of 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid in urine from marginally biotin-deficient humans by UPLC-MS/MS

Measurement of 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid (3HIA) in human urine has been shown to be a useful indicator of biotin status for a variety of clinical situations, including pregnancy. The work described herein presents a novel UPLC-MS/MS method for accurate and precise quantitation of urinary 3HIA. This method utilizes sample preparation prior to quantitation that has been simplified compared to the previous GC-MS method. To demonstrate the suitability of the UPLC-MS/MS method for human bio-monitoring, this method was used to measure 3-HIA in 64 human urine samples from eight healthy adults in whom marginal biotin deficiency had been induced experimentally by egg white feeding. 3HIA was detected in all specimens; the mean concentration [±standard deviation (SD)] was 80.6 ± 51 μM prior to inducing biotin deficiency. Mean excretion rate for 3HIA (expressed per mol urinary creatinine) before beginning the biotin-deficient diet was 8.5 ± 3.2 mmol 3HIA per mol creatinine and the mean increased threefold with deficiency. These specimens had been previously analyzed by GC-MS; the two data sets showed strong linear relationship with a correlation coefficient of 0.97. These results provide evidence that this method is suitable for bio-monitoring of biotin status in larger populations.     

Mass fragmentographic determination of 5-hydroxytryptamine and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid in brain tissue using deuterated internal standards.

A mass fragmentographic method for the determination of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA) in the same extract of rat brain tissue is decribed. Deuterium-labelled analogues were used as internal standards. 5-HT and 5-HIAA were separated by solvent extraction and pentafluoropropionyl derivatives were prepared for the mass fragmentographic analysis. Multiple ion analysis confirmed the identity of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in the rat brain. At the mass numbers used routinely for the determination of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in the rat brain. At the mass numbers used routinely for the determination of 5-HT and 5-HIAA, the experimental error was below 3% (calculated from mean values of 0.05 and 0.24 nmole, respectively). The recovery of the authentic compounds added to brain extracts was more than 95%. The levels of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in the rat brain were 2.95 +/- 0.16 and 0.64 +/- 0.18 nmole/g, respectively. More than 100 samples could be analyzed within 3 days. The presence of 5-hydroxytryptophol in rat brain was also investigated, but none could be detected either as a conjugate or as the free alcohol.     

Quantitative analysis of multiple urinary biomarkers of carcinoid tumors through gold-nanoparticle-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

A simple technique for quantitative analysis of four urinary biomarkers, tryptophan (TRP), 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) of carcinoid tumors is developed using gold nanoparticles as the assisted matrix in surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SALDI–TOF MS). The optimal SALDI conditions for the efficient ionization of those biomarkers are systematically explored by the adjustments of the concentrations of gold nanoparticles and internal standards. The mass spectra with strong signals and minimal background noise are obtained using 1-naphthaleneacetamide (NAD) as the internal standard. The calibration curves of the biomarker concentrations are determined using SALDI–TOF MS and the high linearity is obtained in all samples. For future clinical testing, multiplexed detection of those biomarkers in the urine samples of healthy males is performed. The successful quantitative detections of TRP, 5-HTP, 5-HT and 5-HIAA indicate that our technique provided great potentials to be developed a simple and rapid platform for the tumor biomarker detections.     

Determination of vitamin B5 in human urine by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry

In the present work, we have developed a simple and rapid liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) method for the identification and quantification of vitamin B5 in human urine. Urine was spiked with vitamin B5 internal standard, hopantenic acid (HOPA), and then diluted with the LC mobile phase prior to its analysis by LC/MS. The quantification was performed in single ion monitoring mode. The calibration curve was linear (r2 = 0.999) between 0.25 to 10 microg/mL. With a limit of detection of 0.1 microg/mL the method was sensitive enough to determine low levels of vitamin B5 in urine. The overall quantitative efficiency of the method was evaluated by spiking urine samples with four different concentrations of vitamin B5; the intra-assay coefficient of variation was below 5% and the recoveries were between 96 to 108%. The results of the present study show that the proposed method is selective and sensitive enough for the quantification of vitamin B5 in urine.     

Analysis of urinary biomarkers for exposure to alkyl benzenes by isotope dilution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A validated GC-MS method for the analysis of urinary metabolites of alkyl benzenes is reported. Metabolites for exposure to toluene, xylene and ethylbenzene were analyzed simultaneously using stable isotope substituted internal standards. The method entailed acidic deconjugation of urine samples followed by extractive alkylation with pentafluorobenzyl bromide as alkylating agent. The resulting pentafluorobenzyl derivatives of ortho-, meta-, para-cresol, mandelic acid (MA), hippuric acid (HA) and ortho-, meta-, para-methylhippuric acid (MHA) were then quantified by SIM. Optimized reaction conditions for the extractive alkylation step are reported. The derivatives were found to be sufficiently stable for overnight batch analysis. The LODs were below 0.1 micromol/L for the cresols and below 1 micromol/L for MA and the HAs. Within-batch precision for o-MHA was 7%, for m-MHA 5%, for p-MHA 5.2% and below 5% for the rest of the analytes.     

Application of multisegment injection on quantification of creatinine and standard addition analysis of urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid simultaneously with creatinine normalization

In this paper, the development of a simple dilute-and-shoot method for quantifying urinary creatinine by CE–ESI–MS was described. The creatinine analysis time was about 7 min/sample by conventional single injection (SI) method and can be significantly reduced to less than 2 min/sample with multi-segment injection (MSI). In addition, the standard addition analysis of 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA) and creatinine normalization was performed within one run by the MSI technique, and the total analysis time was 14-min faster compared to the SI method for analyzing the same set of samples. The uses of isotopic and non-isotopic internal standards (ISs) were compared. Creatinine-(methyl-¹³C) and 5-hydroxyindole-4,6,7-D₃-3-acetic-D₂ acid (5-HIAA-D₅) used as isotopic ISs can provide both accurate and precise results. In contrast, 1,5,5-trimethylhydantoin (1,5,5-TH) used as the non-isotopic IS for creatinine may cause a bias of over 13% in SI method and even worse when the MSI technique was used. Another compound, 2-methyl-3-indoleacetic acid (2-MIAA), was determined not suitable for MSI analysis of 5-HIAA due to endogenous interferences despite its acceptable performance in conventional methods of analysis.     

超高效液相色谱-串联质谱法测定人尿液中全氟有机化合物

采用超高效液相色谱-串联质谱(UPLC-MS/MS)联用技术,建立了对人尿液中12种全氟有机化合物(PFCs)的分析方法。首先在尿液样品中加入相应的同位素内标,以2%(体积分数)甲酸甲醇溶液超声萃取、离心后,将提取液用弱阴离子交换固相萃取柱净化,采用UPLC-MS/MS测定,内标法定量。12种目标化合物在0.05～50 μg/L质量浓度范围内线性良好,相关系数(r)均大于0.992,检出限在0.44～3.47 ng/L之间。在20、100、500 ng/L添加水平下,平均回收率范围为80.3%～116.2%,相对标准偏差(n=6)在5.5%～13.8%之间。该方法灵敏度高、重现性好、回收率高、操作简单,适合人尿液中PFCs的测定。     

Simultaneous determination of serotonin and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid in human urine by automated precolumn derivatization and semi-microbore column liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.

An improved high-performance liquid-chromatographic (HPLC) assay for the simultaneous determination of serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA) in human urine is reported. Following the automated precolumn derivatization of urinary 5-HT and 5-HIAA with benzylamine, the derivatives are separated by isocratic elution on a reversed-phase C18 semi-microbore column, and are fluorometrically detected at an excitation wavelength of 345 nm and an emission wavelength of 480 nm. The detection limits of 5-HT and 5-HIAA are 7 and 5 nmol/l in urine (0.7 and 0.5 fmol/20-microl injection). The proposed automatic method permits a highly selective and sensitive determination of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in human urine without any sample purification.     

A simple LC‐MS/MS method for quantitative analysis of underivatized neurotransmitters in rats urine: assay development,validation and application in the CUMS rat model

Many amino acid neurotransmitters in urine are associated with chronic stress as well as major depressive disorders. To better understand depression, an analytical LC‐MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of 11 underivatized neurotransmitters (4‐aminohippurate, 5‐HIAA, glutamate, glutamine, hippurate, pimelate, proline, tryptophan, tyramine, tyrosine and valine) in a single analytical run was developed. The advantage of this method is the simple preparation in that there is no need to deconjugate the urine samples. The quantification range was 25–12,800 ng mL^?1 with >85.8% recovery for all analytes. The nocturnal urine concentrations of the 11 neurotransmitters in chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) model rats and control group (n = 12) were analyzed. A series of significant changes in urinary excretion of neurotransmitters could be detected: the urinary glutamate, glutamine, hippurate and tyramine concentrations were significantly lower in the CUMS group. In addition, the urinary concentrations of tryptophan as well as tyrosine were significantly higher in chronically stressed rats. This method allows the assessment of the neurotransmitters associated with CUMS in rat urine in a single analytical run, making it suitable for implementation as a routine technique in depression research. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

气相色谱-三重四极杆串联质谱稳定同位素稀释法测定被动吸烟儿童尿液中的可丁宁

建立了被动吸烟儿童尿液中可丁宁的气相色谱-三重四极杆串联质谱（GC-MS/MS）稳定同位素稀释测定方法。尿液经过三氯甲烷提取、净化,采用气相色谱-三重四极杆串联质谱多反应监测（MRM）模式测定,以可丁宁-d₃稳定同位素为内标,定量测定和确证被动吸烟儿童尿液中的可丁宁;在0.1~10 μg/L可丁宁质量浓度范围内方法的线性关系良好,相关系数r>0.998;空白尿液中添加可丁宁0.1、1.0和10 μg/L,回收率为79.2%~112.8%,相对标准偏差在2.1%~5.8%之间;方法定量限达到0.1 μg/L。该方法准确、灵敏、快速,适用于家庭被动吸烟儿童尿液中可丁宁的测定。     

超高效液相色谱-电喷雾串联质谱法分离鉴定烟草中5种糖苷类香味前体物质

采用超高效液相色谱-电喷雾串联质谱法(UPLC-ESI MS/MS)并结合气相色谱-质谱法分离鉴定了烟草中5种主要的糖苷类香味前体物质。烟样经甲醇提取、XAD-2柱净化,得到初步纯化的糖苷,在pH 5条件下将其酶解,释放出糖苷配基。采用气相色谱-质谱分析并通过标准谱库检索确定了5种挥发性苷元;然后通过电喷雾质谱(负离子模式)确定糖苷母离子并作碎片离子扫描(MS2),确定了5种糖苷类香味前体物质的存在形式;最后采用UPLC-ESI MS/MS,以甲醇和乙酸-乙酸铵水溶液为流动相,通过RP-C18柱分离,在多反应监测(MRM)模式下,鉴定了烟草中5种主要的糖苷类香味前体物质,为应用液相色谱-质谱分析缺乏标准样品的糖苷类香味前体物质奠定了基础。     

气相色谱-串联质谱法快速测定调味品中3种糠醛类物质

建立了同时测定调味品中糠醛、5-甲基糠醛和5-羟甲基糠醛的气相色谱-串联质谱法(GC-MS/MS)。对样品的前处理方法及GC-MS/MS分析条件进行优化,样品经乙酸乙酯萃取,GC-MS/MS多反应监测模式(MRM)进行测定。3种糠醛类物质在0.001～20 mg/L范围内均呈良好的线性关系,相关系数为0.999 0～0.999 5;检出限(S/N=3)均为0.005 mg/kg,加标回收率为86%～95%。该法简便、快速、溶剂用量少,可消除调味品中复杂基质的干扰,结果准确可靠、灵敏度高,适用于调味品中3种糠醛类物质的同时测定。     

液相色谱串联质谱测定蔬菜中残留的唑菌胺酯

唑菌胺酯(pyraclostrobin)俗称百泰,德国巴斯夫公司于1993年开发的兼具吡唑结构的甲氧基丙烯酯酯类菌剂~([1]),主要用于防治小麦、水稻、花生、葡萄、蔬菜、香蕉、 柠檬、咖啡、果树、核桃、蔬菜、茶树、烟草和观赏植物、草坪及其他大田作物上由子囊菌纲、担子菌纲、半知菌类和卵菌纲真菌引起的作物病害~([2]).     

Stable isotope dilution analysis of N-acetylaspartic acid in urine by liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

N-acetylaspartic acid (NAA) is a specific urinary marker for Canavan disease, an autosomal recessive leukodystrophy. We developed a 'dilute and shoot' stable isotope dilution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for determination of NAA in urine. Deuterated internal standard d(3)-NAA was added to untreated urine and the mixture was injected into the LC-MS/MS system operated in the negative ion mode. Chromatography was carried out on a C(8) minibore column using 50% acetonitrile solution containing 0.05% formic acid at a flow rate of 0.25 mL/min. The retention time was 1.6 min and the turnaround time was 2.2 min. NAA and d(3)-NAA were analyzed in multiple reaction monitoring mode. Calibrators and quality control samples were prepared in pooled control urine. The assay was linear up to 2000 micromol/L with limit of quantification at 1 micromol/L (S/N = 12). Interassay and intraassay coefficients of variation were less than 7% and recovery at three different concentrations was 98.9-102.5%. The LC-MS/MS method for NAA as described involves no extraction and no derivatization, showed no interference and gave excellent recovery with low variability and short analytical time. The method was successfully applied for the retrospective analysis of urine from 21 Canavan disease cases.     

Validation of a confirmatory method for the determination of melamine in egg by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A sensitive and reliable method was developed and validated for detection and confirmation of melamine in egg based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Trichloroacetic acid solution was used for sample extraction and precipitation of proteins. The aqueous extracts were subjected to solid-phase extraction by mixed-mode reversed-phase/strong cation-exchange cartridges. Using ultra-performance liquid chromatography and electrospray ionization in the positive ion mode, melamine was determined by LC-MS/MS, which was completed in 5 min for each injection. For the GC-MS analysis, extracted melamine was derivatized with N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoracetamide prior to selected ion monitoring detection in electron impact mode. The average recovery of melamine from fortified samples ranged from 85.2% to 103.2%, with coefficients of variation lower than 12%. The limit of detection obtained by GC-MS and UPLC-MS/MS was 10 and 5 μg kg⁻¹, respectively. This validated method was successfully applied to the determination of melamine in real samples from market.     

Analysis of polyamines as carbamoyl derivatives in urine and serum by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A quantitative analysis of polyamines in urine and serum by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is described. The polyamines were carbamylated with isobutyl chloroformate, extracted with diethyl ether under pH 9.0, and analyzed by LC-MS/MS with single reaction monitoring mode. The limit of quantification was 1 ng/mL based on a signal-to-noise ratio>3, and the correlation coefficient (r2) for the calibration curves was >0.99 for both urine and serum samples. The present method was applied to urine and serum samples from 30 breast cancer patients and 30 normal female controls. There was no significant difference in the urinary polyamine levels between breast cancer patients and controls. However, 1,3-diaminopropane, putrescine, spermine and N-acetylspermidine levels in serum increased in breast cancer patients. These four serum polyamines may be a good index to study both production and metabolism of polyamines, and a useful tool in assessment of the polyamine status of breast cancer patients.     

亲水作用色谱-串联质谱测定尿液中尼古丁和可替宁

建立了测定人尿液中尼古丁和可替宁含量的亲水作用色谱-串联质谱(HILIC-MS/MS)方法。尿样加入尼古丁-d4和可替宁-d3同位素内标后,用水稀释10倍,经过滤后的滤液由超高效液相色谱-串联质谱(UPLC-MS/MS)进行分离分析。采用ACQUITY UPLC~BEH HILIC色谱柱(50 mm×3.0 mm,1.7μm),以甲醇和体积分数为0.1%的氨水为流动相,流速为0.2 mL/min,在电喷雾电离源正离子模式下测定尿液中尼古丁和可替宁的含量,用标准曲线法定量。尼古丁和可替宁在1.0~1 000μg/L范围内线性关系良好,相关系数分别为0.994 9和0.995 8;检出限分别为0.082μg/L和0.077μg/L;定量限分别为0.27μg/L和0.26μg/L;加标回收率分别为90.4%~103.5%和93.0%~104.6%;相对标准偏差分别为4.80%~6.21%和4.22%~7.15%。应用所建立的方法测定了200份尿样,结果表明,吸烟人群尿中尼古丁含量为26.68~854.30μg/L,可替宁含量为36.66~1 191.18μg/L(n=86,M_(nicotine)=76.00μg/L,M_(nicotine)=83.52μg/L,M为中位数);非吸烟人群尿中尼古丁含量为5.08~69.66μg/L,可替宁含量为3.16~28.21μg/L(n=114,Mnicotine=7.53μg/L,M_(nicotine)=3.79μg/L)。该方法快速灵敏,操作简单,适用于尿样中尼古丁和可替宁的批量测定,能满足烟草暴露评价的需要。     

液相色谱-串联质谱法测定尿液中的内源性类固醇激素

建立了液相色谱-串联质谱(LC-MS/MS)测定尿液中的内源性类固醇激素的方法。尿样经葡萄糖醛酸甙酶酶解后进行液-液提取,以甲醇-0.1%甲酸缓冲液(含0.02 mol/L乙酸铵)(体积比为68:32)为流动相,采用Cosmosil C18色谱柱分离,并以三重四极杆串联质谱多反应监测扫描方式对尿样中的脱氢表雄酮(DHEA)、睾酮、表睾酮、雄酮和苯胆烷醇酮等5种激素进行检测。方法的最低检出限为0.01～10 ng/mL,平均回收率为96.7%～106.5%,日内和日间相对标准偏差(RSD)分别小于7%和11%。应用所建立的方法测定了健康志愿者口服DHEA后尿液中内源性类固醇激素的变化情况,结果表明该方法样品处理简便,色谱分离完全,结果准确可靠,可替代气相色谱-质谱法用于体液中内源性类固醇激素兴奋剂的常规分析。     

Pharmacokinetic application of a bio‐analytical LC‐MS method developed for 5‐fluorouracil and methotrexate in mouse plasma,brain and urine

In the past we have reported significant cognitive deficits in mice receiving 5‐fluorouracil in combination with low‐dose methotrexate. To explain such interactions, a pharmacokinetic study was designed. A sensitive bio‐analytical method was therefore developed and validated for 5‐fluorouracil and methotrexate in mouse plasma, brain and urine with liquid chromatography coupled to a single quadrupole mass spectrometer. Chromatographic separation was accomplished by Agilent® Zorbax® SB‐C₁₈ column, with isocratic elution (5 mM ammonium acetate and methanol, 70:30, %v/v) at a flow rate of 300 μL/min. The limit of quantitation for both drugs was 15.6 ng/mL (plasma and brain) and 78.1 ng/mL (urine), with interday and intraday precision and accuracy ≤15% and a total run time of 6 min. This bio‐analytical method was used for the pharmacokinetic characterization of 5‐fluorouracil and methotrexate in mouse plasma, brain and urine over a period of 24 h. This method allowed characterization of the brain concentrations of 5‐fluorouracil over a period of 24 h. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Identification of certain chemical agents in complex organic solutions by gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

Analytical methods that are used for the detection and identification of chemicals related to the Chemical Weapons Convention in complex organic solutions were developed. A matrix modified by the addition of complex diesel oil background compounds and interferences was used for the development of a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry or gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS or GC-MS/MS) method for unambiguous identification of the scheduled chemicals. Co-elution of diethyl N,N-dimethylphosphoramidate and ethyl N,N-dimethylphosphoramidocyanidate, which are not separated by GC, was identified by GC-MS. Although GC-MS can identify the compounds, GC-MS/MS identification has greater accuracy and sensitivity in the case of complex matrixes. Four scheduled chemicals were accurately and selectively identified against numerous interfering substances by GC-MS/MS. The fragmentation chemistry of these compounds using MS/MS analysis was investigated.