Detection of carbonyl groups in triterpenoids by hydroxylamine hydrochloride derivatization using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

A rapid, simple electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) sensitivity enhancement method for detecting carbonyl groups in triterpenoids has been developed by using hydroxylamine hydrochloride (NH(2)OH . HCl) as a derivatization reagent. We use the oxime formed during the derivatization reactions and its Beckmann rearrangement intermediates as a means of detecting the carbonyl groups originally present in these triterpenoids. In comparison with other derivatization methods reported in the literature, this method is simple, specific and can be used to detect carbonyl groups in triterpenoids which have low polarity and are poorly or non-ionizable. Moreover, it can also be used to detect hydroxyl groups by using the Dess-Martin periodinane (DMP) to convert primary and secondary hydroxyls into carbonyl groups.     

Determination of binding sites in carboplatin-bound cytochrome c using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry

Interaction of carboplatin with cytochrome c (Cyt. c) has been investigated by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). ESI-MS studies revealed that the ring-opened adducts of carboplatin with Cyt. c were formed in the stoichiometric ratio of 1:1 and 2:1 at pH 5.0 and 37 degrees C and in the stoichiometric ratio of 1:1 only at pH 7.0 and 37 degrees C. It was also found that Cyt. c could be cleaved by carboplatin at pH 2.5 and 50 degrees C. The cleaved fragments of Cyt. c were determined by ESI-MS and MS/MS analysis to be Glu66 approximately Met80, Ac-Gly01 approximately Met65, Glu66 approximately Glu104, Ac-Gly01 approximately Met80 and Ile81 approximately Glu104. The carboplatin prefers to anchor to Met65 first, then to Met80. To further confirm the binding site of Met, AcMet-Gly was used as the model molecule to investigate its interaction with carboplatin and its hydrolysis reaction. On the basis of species detected during the reaction monitored by ESI-MS, a possible pathway of the cleavage reaction was proposed.     

Determination of cyclic structure for polydithiane using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Disulfide polymers obtained by ring‐opening polymerization have been considered to have a possibility of a cyclic catenane structure as judged from their test properties on the loss modulus and stress–strain. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS) was used to detemine molecular structure of polydithiane and polyoxyethylene to find whether they are present as a cyclic or as a linear structure. The results indicated that the polydithiane possesses the cyclic structure, and analysis of the isotope distribution of the spectral ions further showed that the polymer consists entirely of the cyclic structure without contamination of a linear polymer. A linear chain polymer with a benzylmercaptan end group was synthesized, and the ESI‐MS analysis revealed that the polymer was a mixture of both the cyclic and the linear polymer. The cyclic polymer is probably formed by back‐biting of the highly reactive sulfur radicals that had been formed during the polymerization reaction. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 4403–4406, 2000     

Determination of micelle mass by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

By electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry, micelle solutions of sodium cholate were investigated in detail in the presence and absence of ethanol. The average aggregation number could be evaluated from the spectra acquired under conditions where soft collisions adequate to measure the micelle solution were induced, and the value agreed well with that obtained previously by other methods. From the dependence on ethanol content, it was also found that the average aggregation number in aqueous solution without organic solvent could be reliably estimated. The ESI method proved to be a useful tool for determining the micelle mass in the original aqueous phase.     

Analysis of neutral isomeric low molecular weight carbohydrates using ferrocenyl boronate derivatization and tandem electrospray mass spectrometry

A new analytical technique for small carbohydrates utilizing the cyclic ferrocenyl boronic esters (FcBors) of several neutral mono- and disaccharides is demonstrated. Distinction between the diastereomers of mono- and disaccharides is obtained. Analysis is by tandem electrospray-mass spectrometry (ES-MS) using a modified ion-source that promotes the preformation of ions. Selection of the molecular ion produced during single-electron oxidation of the ferrocene moiety of a specific population of saccharide isomers permits a variety of collisionally induced dissociation (CID) experiments. The resultant MS2/MS3 spectra reflect the ensemble of possible cyclic esters in equilibrium. An array of stable cross pyranose ring fragment ions representing sequential carbon loss as 30 u is observed. Consequently, the system provides an information-rich set of MSn spectra containing large amounts of structural information. Identification of D-glucose (D-Glc), its two commonly found epimers (D-mannose and D-galactose), and the two major L-diastereomers of 6-dideoxymonosaccharides, L-fucose (L-Fuc) and L-rhamnose (L-Rhm), are demonstrated. Selected pairs of disaccharides can be distinguished in terms of their anomeric linkage by reference to their MS3 spectra.     

Differentiation of estriol glucuronide isomers by chemical derivatization and electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

This paper describes a way of differentiating between the three isomers of estriol glucuronide by the use of chemical derivatization and liquid chromatography/electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). In their native form, these isomers gave rise to almost identical product ion spectra, involving the neutral loss of 176 Da (i.e. monodehydrated glucuronic acid), which made it impossible to determine the position of conjugation by MS/MS alone. In order to change the fragmentation pathways, positive charges were introduced into the analytes by chemical derivatization. The following reagents were tested: 2-chloro-1-methylpyridinium iodide, 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide and 2-picolylamine. Interestingly, derivatization using a combination of all three reagents gave a selective fragmentation pattern that could differentiate between the isomers estriol-16-glucuronide and estriol-17-glucuronide. Estriol-3-glucuronide, which lacks a free phenolic group, could be differentiated through a different type of reaction product when exposed to 2-chloro-1-methylpyridinium iodide. Furthermore, in order to assist structural assignment of the fragments, their accurate masses were determined using a hybrid quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer and fragmentation pathways were elucidated by the use of MS3 on an ion trap mass spectrometer.     

Determination of iodoacetic acid using liquid chromatography/electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

A rapid analytical method based on liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) using electrospray ionization in negative ion detection mode was developed for the analysis of underivatized iodoacetic acid in water. The method was applied to model reaction mixtures in the study of the formation of iodoacetic acid after chlorinated tap water was boiled in the presence of potassium iodide or iodized table salt. Samples can be directly analyzed by the LC/MS/MS system without extraction or chemical derivatization. Limit of detection was determined to be 0.3 microg/L (or 0.3 ng/mL) and limit of quantitation was about 1 microg/L (1 ng/mL).     

Examination of structurally selective derivatization of vitamin D(3) analogues by electrospray mass spectrometry

The structural specificity of vitamin D derivatization by PTAD (4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione) was probed using synthetic analogues and ion trap mass spectrometry. EB 1089, a vitamin D(3) analogue which contains a second site for Diels--Alder cycloaddition on its side-chain, allowed the examination of derivatization modes and comparisons of ion fragment structures. The origins of a PTAD-vitamin D(3) ion fragment, commonly used in metabolite characterization and quantitation of vitamin D(3) analogues (m/z 314), were established; ion trap mass spectrometry revealed that the PTAD comprises a portion of this diagnostic fragment, and is not lost by a retro-Diels--Alder step. Furthermore, the unique structure of the EB 1089 side-chain also permits facile determination of its side-chain metabolism. Use of PTAD derivatization and detection of metabolite-specific ion fragments identify hydroxylation at the end of the EB 1089 sidechain. It is believed that the results from these studies provide a clearer understanding of the mass spectrometry of triazolinedione derivatives, not only in the specific case of EB 1089, but also in their application to other vitamin D compounds.     

Novel phosphoryl derivatization method for peptide sequencing by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

A one-step phosphoryl derivatization method has been used in a peptide sequencing procedure for electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). The sodiated derivatized peptides exhibit very simple dissociation patterns, in which two kinds of fragment ions, [b(n) + OH + Na]+ and [a(n) + Na]+, are formed. Since the amino acid residues are lost sequentially from the C-terminus, peptide sequences can be identified easily. The fragmentation efficiency of peptides increased as a result of the phosphorylation, and also provided peaks of useful intensity at lower m/z. A peptide with lysine at the C-terminus was derivatized and analyzed by ESI-MS/MS. Similar mass spectra, from which the sequence could be read out, were obtained. This is a novel derivatization method yielding neutral derivatives that should be suitable for peptide sequencing by LC/ESI-MS/MS.     

Modifying the charge state distribution of proteins in electrospray ionization mass spectrometry by chemical derivatization

Electrospray ionization (ESI) of denatured proteins produces a broad distribution of multiply-charged ions leading to multiple peaks in the mass spectrum. We investigated changes in the positive-mode ESI charge state distribution produced by several chemical modifications of denatured proteins. Capping carboxylic acid groups with neutral functional groups yields little change in charge state distribution compared with unmodified proteins. The results indicate that carboxyl groups do not play a significant role in the positive charging of denatured proteins in ESI. The modification of proteins with additional basic sites or fixed positive charges generates substantially higher charge states, providing evidence that the number of ionizable sites, rather than molecular size and shape, determines ESI charging for denatured proteins. Fixed charge modification also significantly reduces the number of protons acquired by a protein, in that the charge state envelope is not increased by the full number of fixed charges appended. This result demonstrates that Coulombic repulsion between positive charges plays a significant role in determining charge state distribution by affecting the gas-phase basicity of ionizable sites. Addition of fixed-charge moieties to a protein is a useful approach for shifting protein charge state distributions to higher charge states, and with further work, it may help limit the distribution of protein ions to fewer charge states.     

Oligosaccharide profiling: the facile detection of mono-, di- and oligosaccharides by electrospray orthogonal time-of-flight mass spectrometry using 3-aminophenylboronic acid derivatization

Monosaccharides, disaccharides and larger carbohydrates can be derivatized using 3-aminophenylboronic acid (3-APBA). This procedure is carried out at low pH (2.7-3.0) and allows the use of positive ion mode electrospray orthogonal time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ES-OTOFMS) to analyze the resulting boronate complexes. A carbohydrate profile map of a complex carbohydrate mixture, honey, was prepared which displayed superior sensitivity when compared with lithium ion cationization. Complexes formed using simple mono- and disaccharides show that facile in situ derivatization leads to an equilibrium mixture; which is reproducible for a specific set of electrospray conditions. D-Glucose could be detected at 5 microM concentration using the standard instrument spray interface. Lower detection levels of approximately 500 nM could be achieved using a nanospray device. The 3-APBA complexes are observed on instruments employing a low temperature interface (140-150 degrees C) which allows formation of the boronate species while still promoting efficient desolvation of the ions. The spectral identification of 3-APBA complexed carbohydrates in complex mixtures is facilitated by the easily observed 1 mass unit separated peak pair bearing the 1:4 ratio resulting from the natural isotopic abundance of (10)B and (11)B.     

Charge competition and the linear dynamic range of detection in electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

An experimental investigation and theoretical analysis are reported on charge competition in electrospray ionization (ESI) and its effects on the linear dynamic range of ESI mass spectrometric (MS) measurements. The experiments confirmed the expected increase of MS sensitivities as the ESI flow rate decreases. However, different compounds show somewhat different mass spectral peak intensities even at the lowest flow rates, at the same concentration and electrospray operating conditions. MS response for each compound solution shows good linearity at lower concentrations and levels off at high concentration, consistent with analyte "saturation" in the ESI process. The extent of charge competition leading to saturation in the ESI process is consistent with the relative magnitude of excess charge in the electrospray compared to the total number of analyte molecules in the solution. This ESI capacity model allows one to predict the sample concentration limits for charge competition and the on-set of ionization suppression effects, as well as the linear dynamic range for ESI-MS. The implications for quantitative MS analysis and possibilities for effectively extending the dynamic range of ESI measurements are discussed.     

Determination of azaspiracids in shellfish using liquid chromatography/tandem electrospray mass spectrometry.

Azaspiracid (AZA1), a recently discovered marine toxin, is responsible for the new human toxic syndrome, azaspiracid poisoning (AZP), which is caused by the consumption of contaminated shellfish. A new, sensitive liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) method has been developed for the determination of AZA1 and its analogues, 8-methylazaspiracid (AZA2) and 22-demethylazaspiracid (AZA3). Separation of these toxins was achieved using reversed-phase LC and coupled, via an electrospray ionisation (ESI) source, to an ion-trap mass spectrometer. Spectra showed the protonated molecules, [M + H]+, and their major product ions, due to the sequential loss of two water molecules, [M + H - H2O]+, [M + H - 2H2O]+, in addition to fragment ions that are characteristic of these cyclic polyethers. A highly specific and sensitive LC/MS(3) analytical method was developed and, using shellfish extracts containing AZA1, the detection limit (S/N = 3) was 4 pg on-column, corresponding to 0.8 ng/mL. Using the protocol presented here, this is equivalent to 0.37 ng/g shellfish tissue and good linear calibrations were obtained for AZA1 in shellfish extracts (average r2 = 0.9988). Good reproducibility was achieved with % RSD values (N = 5) ranging from 1.5% (0.75 microg/mL) to 4.2% (0.05 microg/mL). An efficient procedure for the extraction of toxins from shellfish aided the development of a rapid protocol for the determination of the three predominant azaspiracids.     

Determination of dissolved naphthenic acids in natural waters by using negative-ion electrospray mass spectrometry

Naphthenic acids (NAs) have been implicated as some of the most toxic substances in oil sands leachates and identified as priority substances impacting on aquatic environments. As a group of compounds, NAs are not well characterized and comprise a large group of saturated aliphatic and alicyclic carboxylic acids found in hydrocarbon deposits (petroleum, oil sands bitumen, and crude oils). Described is an analytical method using negative-ion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ES/MS) of extracts. Preconcentration was achieved by using a solid-phase extraction procedure utilizing a crosslinked polystyrene-based polymer with acetonitrile elution. Recovery of the Fluka Chemicals NA mixture was highly pH-dependent, with 100% recovery at pH 3.0, but only 66 and 51% recoveries at pHs 7 and 9, respectively. The dissolved phase of the NA was very dependent on sample pH. It is thus critical to measure the pH and determine the appropriate mass profiles to identify NAs in natural waters. The ES/MS analytical procedure proved to be a fast and sensitive method for the recovery and detection of NAs in natural waters, with a detection limit of 0.01 mg/L.     

Conformational studies of omega-conotoxins using electrospray mass spectrometry

MVIIA and MVIIB omega-conotoxins were chosen to investigate the effect of experimental conditions on their conformations, because of the presence of three disulfide bridges in these toxins. There were no significant effects of ion-source temperature, cone voltage, pH and percentage of cosolvent. We show that charge state distributions (CSDs) observed in their electrospray mass spectra are not a true reflection of the behaviour in the bulk solution because of electrostatic effects during the ion-evaporation process in the ion source. As a result it is not possible to deduce from the observed CSDs that some basic amino acids are hidden in the core of the peptide structure. This is important in view of the complementary finding that nearly all labile hydrogens are rapidly exchanged in deuterated solvents. The mass spectrometry results can be reconciled with results of NMR experiments and molecular calculations from the literature.     

Advantages of high-resolution and high-mass range magnetic-sector mass spectrometry for electrospray ionization

Electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectra have been measured on a magnetic-sector double-focusing mass spectrometer for a number of proteins and peptides. It is pointed out how in theory raising the mass resolution of a mass spectrometer from 800–1000 to 2400–3000 significantly increases the precision with which the envelope of isotopic peaks of a protein ion (or other organic ion) can be defined, particularly at higher masses. Better definition of the isotopic envelope ought to lead to higher precision in the experimental determination of molecular mass, which has been demonstrated. It is shown how ESI mass spectra of high-mass molecules are significantly less congested at higher m/z values, so that for these molecules (RMM > 40 000) there is an advantage in being able to record peaks at higher m/z values (m/z > 2000) representing ions with fewer charges. Fragmentation of a small peptide in the ESI source has been found to provide sequence information.     

柱前衍生-超高效液相色谱-串联四极杆质谱法测定茶叶中乙撑硫脲的残留

建立了茶叶中乙撑硫脲残留的柱前衍生-超高效液相色谱-串联四极杆质谱检测方法。样品采用乙腈提取,提取液经QuEChERS基质分散固相萃取净化后采用9-芴基甲基氯甲酸酯（FMOC-CL）柱前衍生;衍生溶液经BEH-C18色谱柱（100 mm×2.0 mm,1.7 μm）分离后进入串联四极杆质谱仪检测,采用同位素内标法定量;流动相为0.1%（v/v）甲酸-乙腈。该方法对茶叶样品检出限为1.3 μg/kg,定量限为4.2 μg/kg;加标回收率在97.7%~107.5%之间,相对标准偏差（RSD,n=6）在2.1%~10.0%之间;在1.0~203.4 μg/L范围内线性回归系数r为0.9993。该方法灵敏度高,重现性好,定性定量准确,可有效满足对茶叶中乙撑硫脲残留检测的要求。     

Profiling of N-linked oligosaccharides using phenylhydrazine derivatization and mass spectrometry

N-linked oligosaccharide standards obtained from commercial sources were derivatized with phenylhydrazine (PHN) and analyzed by on-line reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). This procedure was then applied to mixtures of N-glycans enzymatically released from hen ovalbumin. Under ESI-MS conditions, phenylhydrazones of asialylated oligosaccharide standards and ovalbumin glycans produced mainly [M + 2H]2+ molecular ions at low cone voltage values, while minimal fragmentation was observed. Reversed-phase HPLC/ESI-MS total and selected ion chromatograms obtained for derivatized N-glycans from ovalbumin showed partial but useful separation. Overall glycan profiles obtained by ESI-MS were compared with results obtained by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)-MS. Qualitatively, profiles were similar from one technique to the other in terms of relative abundance of glycans versus composition. Post-source decay (PSD) analysis of the [M + Na]+ ions of PHN-glycans showed dominant B, C and internal B/Y, C/Y cleavages. These patterns were helpful in relating fragmentation to proposed structures. Cross-ring cleavage fragment ions (A-type) were also observed in most cases. The PHN derivatization method is fast and simple. It produces abundant parent ions in both MALDI-MS and ESI-MS, while avoiding the presence of salt contaminants during the labeling procedure.     

Aspartame degradation study using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Electrospray mass spectrometry was used to simultaneously determine aspartame (APM) and five of its degradation products; aspartic acid, aspartylphenylalanine, 5-benzyl-3,6-dioxo-2-piperazieacetic acid (diketopiperazine), phenylalanine, and phenylalanine methyl ester. Under the ionization conditions used, there was no interfering fragmentation for any of the six compounds, i.e., no fragmentation of the compound being tested into other species also being monitored. A study of APM degradation in solution at various pH's and at various temperatures using this method was performed.