Simultaneous determination of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in river water by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

The gas chromatography/mass spectrometric assay method was developed for the determination of 13 non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in river water. Extraction was achieved by a liquid‐phase extraction procedure using methylene chloride. The extract was reacted for 30 min at 80°C based on the formation of methyl ester with 1.0 M HCl in methanol and extraction of the derivative with ethyl acetate, which was then measured by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry. The limit of quantification of NSAIDs was 1.0–60 ng/L and the calibration curve showed linearity being greater than r=0.997. The method was used to analyze ten river water samples from various regions in Korea. Diclofenac, indoprofen, ketoprofen and loxoprofen were detected at concentration of up to 1.29 μg/L in river water. The developed method may prove valuable for use in the national monitoring project of NSAIDs in surface water.     

Determination of fourteen non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in animal serum and plasma by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

The European Union has regulated the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in animal production and requires its member states to detect their residues in different matrices. In this work, a detailed MS and MS/MS study by ion-trap mass spectrometry of fourteen NSAIDs is described. Two multi-residue reversed-phase LC/ESI-MS/MS methods were developed, one for the determination of salicylic acid, naproxen, carprofen, flurbiprofen, ibuprofen, niflumic acid and meclofenamic acid in the negative ion mode, and the other for the determination of ketoprofen, suxibutazone, diclofenac, mefenamic acid, tolfenamic acid, phenylbutazone and its metabolite oxyphenbutazone in the positive ion mode. It was thus possible to confirm up to 14 different NSAID residues in serum and plasma samples of farmed animals, after chromatographic separation by a linear gradient. These substances were chosen as representative of different chemical subclasses of NSAIDs. The two methods were also validated in-house at three contamination levels, evaluating specificity and calculating mean recoveries, repeatability and within-laboratory reproducibility. The MS/MS product ion spectra were successfully used for the qualitative identification of all the drugs tested. All the NSAIDs, apart from salicylic acid, were recovered in high amounts, ranging between 71.6% and 100.9%.     

In situ aqueous derivatization and determination of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs by salting-out-assisted liquid-liquid extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A new analytical method for the determination of trace levels of five non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs: clofibric acid, ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac and ketoprofen) in water samples is described. The analytical procedure involves in situ aqueous derivatization with N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N'-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) and 2,2,2-trifluoroethylamine hydrochloride (TFEA) and salting-out liquid-liquid extraction (SALLE), followed by gas chromatography-programmed temperature vaporizer-mass spectrometry (GC-PTV-MS). The influence of several parameters on the efficiency of the derivatization (stirring time, reaction time, reagent concentration and pH), and the extraction (solvent, volume, salts and stirring time) and injection steps (liner, injection volume, liner temperature, injection time, venting time and venting flow) was investigated. The detection limits of the method in water varied from 0.042 μg/L for ibuprofen to 1.2 μg/L for ketoprofen. The relative standard deviations (RSD) values were found to be relatively low (<10% for all compounds). The methodology developed was applied to the determination of NSAIDs in several environmental matrices including tap, river, sea and influent and effluent waste water samples. The results obtained show the presence of ibuprofen and naproxen in the influent waste water sample.     

Rapid confirmatory analysis of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in bovine milk by rapid resolution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

A rapid method has been developed to analyse carprofen (CPF), diclofenac (DCF), mefenamic acid (MFN), niflumic acid (NIFLU), naproxen (NAP), oxyphenylbutazone (OXYPHEN), phenylbutazone (PBZ) and suxibuzone (SUXI) residues in bovine milk. Milk samples are extracted with acetonitrile and sample extracts were purified on Evolute™ ABN solid phase extraction cartridges. Aliquots were analysed by rapid resolution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (RRLC-MS/MS) with a runtime of 6.5 min. The method was validated in bovine milk, according to the criteria defined in Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. CCα values of 0.46, 1.08, 0.92, 1.26, 1.29, 2.12, 0.55 and 2.86 ng mL⁻¹ were determined for CPF, DCF, MFN, NIFLU, NAP, OXYPHEN, PBZ and SUXI, respectively. CCβ values of 0.79, 1.85, 1.56, 2.15, 2.19, 3.62, 0.94 and 4.87 ng mL⁻¹ were determined for CPF, DCF, MFN, NIFLU, NAP, OXYPHEN, PBZ and SUXI, respectively. The measurement uncertainty of the method was estimated at 9, 28, 28, 45, 46, 45, 10 and 39% for CPF, DCF, MFN, NIFLU, NAP, OXYPHEN, PBZ and SUXI. Fortifying bovine milk samples (n = 18) in three separate assays, show the accuracy of the method to be between 82 and 108%. The precision of the method, expressed as RSD values for the within-lab reproducibility at the three levels of fortification (5, 7.5 and 10 ng mL⁻¹) was less than 16%, respectively. The advantage of the method is that low ng mL⁻¹ levels can be detected and quantitatively confirmed rapidly in milk and that 3 batches of samples can be analysed within a single day using RRLC-MS/MS with a runtime of 6.5 min.     

Rapid quantitative and qualitative confirmatory method for the determination of monofluoroacetic acid in foods by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

Many environmental samples contain complex mixtures of organic compounds with different sources, polarities and reactivities. This study reports a method for the analysis of both polar/water-soluble and apolar organic compounds in several kinds of environmental samples. The analytical method consists of extraction with a mixture of dichloromethane:methanol (2:1, v/v), silylation using BSTFA (N,O-bis-(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide) and analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), a common device in chemical and environmental laboratories. Fifty individual sugar standards, including monosaccharides, sugar alcohols, anhydrosugars, disaccharides and trisaccharides, were analyzed for the determination of their fragmentation patterns and retention times. Recoveries (at three concentrations) and limits of detection (LOD) were determined for a standard mixture containing glucose (monosaccharide), sorbitol (sugar alcohol), levoglucosan (anhydrosugar) and sucrose (disaccharide), and they varied from 68 to 119% and 130 to 360 ng mL(-1), respectively. The method was used for the analysis of aerosol particle, soil and sediment samples, and demonstrated its feasibility in detecting not only several important environmental sugars (e.g., glucose, fructose, inositol, mannitol, sorbitol, levoglucosan, sucrose, mycose), but also a large range of organic compound classes from other polar components (e.g., dicarboxylic acids) to apolar compounds such as n-alkanes. Therefore, the analytical method presented here demonstrated its usefulness for a better understanding of sources and transport of various organic compounds in different environmental compartments.     

Application of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for palladium determination

A highly sensitive spectrophotometric method for palladium determination using piroxicam and tenoxicam as new chromogenic reagents has been developed. In the presence of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), palladium reacts with piroxicam (PX) or tenoxicam (TX) to form stable yellow orange complexes in an acetate buffer solution of pH 5.0 at 424 nm and 426 nm with molar absorptivity of 7.16 × 10⁴ L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹ and 1.20 × 10⁵ L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹, respectively. Sandell sensitivity, detection, and quantitation limits were also calculated. Optimum conditions were evaluated considering pH, reagent concentration, time, temperature, and surfactant concentration. The complex system conforms to Beer’s law over the range of 0.07–1.28 μg mL⁻¹ palladium. The stoichiometric ratio and stability constant were also evaluated. Tolerance limits of many cations and anions were determined. Finally, the proposed method was applied successfully in the determination of palladium in jewellery, anode mud, synthetic mixtures, catalysts, and alloy samples.     

Rapid high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for the simultaneous analysis of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in plasma

A high-performance liquid chromatographic assay has been developed for the determination of a number of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in plasma. The samples were prepared by adding acetonitrile and perchloric acid to 200 microliter of plasma. Diclofenac, fenoprofen, ketoprofen, naproxen, phenylbutazone, piroxicam and sulindac were quantified in the supernatant produced using a mobile phase of phosphoric acid 0.03% (pH 2.5)-acetonitrile and a detecting wavelength of 254 nm. The reproducibility, linearity, precision and specificity of the assay were determined and found to be satisfactory. Alteration of the detection wavelength to 229 nm also permitted accurate determination of ibuprofen concentration in plasma. While reduction of the organic solvent content of the mobile phase and alteration of wavelength to 313 nm produced a system capable of quantifying salicylate and its metabolites in plasma and by further reducing the detecting wavelength to 237 nm, aspirin also was quantifiable. These methods have been applied in a cross-sectional study of medication compliance among rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.     

Direct determination of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs by column-switching LC-MS

A method for determination of 16 non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in human plasma samples without time-consuming sample pre-treatments was developed. The system consisted of two pumps for mobile phase delivery, a six-port switching valve, a pre-column (Oasis HLB Cartridge Column), and a reversed phase analytical column (COSMOSIL 3C18-MS-II). The analytes were trapped on the precolumn and subsequently separated on the analytical column. The present method allowed on-line sample clean-up and enrichment, leading to improved sensitivity without any tedious sample preparation. The recoveries of NSAIDs from human plasma by column-switching were greater than 72.6%. The total analysis time for a single analytical run was approximately 11 min. The detection limits of NSAIDs were 0.0025 to 0.2 microg/mL using the selected ion monitoring mode.     

Rapid screening method for the determination of diethylstilbestrol in edible animal tissue by column liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

A rapid and sensitive screening method for the determination of residues of diethylstilbestrol in edible animal tissue is described. The analyte was extracted from the tissue with tert.-butyl methyl ether, reextracted with 1 M sodium hydroxide and further cleaned up by solid-phase extraction with C18 cartridges. Analysis was performed by isocratic elution with a phosphate-buffered mobile phase, methanol-0.05 M phosphate buffer pH 3.5 (67:33), on a Nucleosil 5-microns C18 column with electrochemical detection at +0.90 V. The average recovery of trans-diethylstilbestrol in spiked samples is 66%, with a standard deviation of 14% (n = 22) in the range 0.5-2.0 microgram/kg. The detection limit is 0.1-0.2 microgram/kg, although at this level other compounds may interfere and give rise to false positive results.     

Identification and simultaneous determination of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs using high-performance liquid chromatography

An isocratic high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure is presented for the screening of plasma samples for the presence of sixteen non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Detection was achieved simultaneously at two wavelengths (254 and 370 nm) and the purity of the eluted peaks was tested using absorbance ratios at the two wavelengths; identification could thus be effective without interferences from substances of other pharmacological classes. The drugs were extracted simultaneously with diethyl ether after acidification and separated from each other on an octadecyl reversed-phase column using only one eluent, acetonitrile-0.3% acetic acid-tetrahydrofuran (36:63.1:0.9, v/v). The recovery, precision and reproducibility of the method were satisfactory as it allowed the determination of the drugs from infra- to supratherapeutic concentrations.     

Mixed aggregate-based acid-induced cloud-point extraction and ion-trap liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for the determination of cationic surfactants in sewage sludge

Alkyl ammonium surfactants were extracted and concentrated from sludge samples using the acid-induced cloud-point extraction (ACPE) technique. Reversed-phase liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization in positive ion mode ion-trap mass spectrometry was then used for the separation, quantitation and identification of single homologues of the cationic surfactants. Variables affecting the ACPE efficiency were optimized using a spiked activated sludge. Total method recoveries ranged from 91 to nearly 100%. Detection limits for cationics in the sludge were between 40 and 75 ng/g. The analysis of cationic surfactants in activated and dehydrated sludge collected from two different sewage treatment plants revealed the presence of dialkyldimethyl, alkylbenzyldimethyl and alkyltrimethyl ammonium in the concentration range from 0.1 to 34 mg/kg. Alkylpyridinium surfactants were not detected. The persistence of alkyl ammonium surfactants in sewage sludge after treatments applied at municipal sewage plants was confirmed.     

Automated sample preparation on-line with thermospray high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for the determination of drugs in plasma

The combination of a solid-phase extraction module, the AASP, on-line with thermospray high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for the automated determination of drugs in plasma is described. The technique was evaluated successfully using, as an example, the determination of labetalol in human plasma. [2H7]Labetalol was used as an internal standard to compensate for changes in ionization efficiencies between analyses. The chromatographic and mass spectrometric conditions were optimized for labetalol. The combined technique was demonstrated as being robust and reliable for the analysis of plasma samples from a clinical study.     

Simultaneous determination of thirty non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug residues in swine muscle by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry

An ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometric detection (UHPLC–MS/MS) method was established for the simultaneous determination of residues of thirty non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in swine muscle. The samples were extracted with acetonitrile and phosphoric acid. The extracts were defatted with n-hexane, and then purified by HLB solid-phase extraction cartridge. Analysis was carried out on UHPLC–ESI-MS/MS working with multiple reaction monitoring mode with polarity switching. Limits of detection were between 0.4 μg/kg and 2.0 μg/kg, and limits of quantification were between 1.0 μg/kg and 5.0 μg/kg. The recoveries of NSAIDs were between 61.7% and 125.7% at spiked levels of 1.0–500 μg/kg. The repeatability was less than 8% and the within-laboratory reproducibility was not more than 12.3%. The method was reliable, convenient and sensitive.     

Counter-flow electrokinetic supercharging for the determination of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in water samples

Electrokinetic supercharging (EKS) has been used in the last few years as a powerful tool for separation and on-line preconcentration of different types of analytes. We have developed a valuable modification for EKS system, namely counter-flow EKS (CF-EKS) and applied it for the separation and on-line preconcentration of seven non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in water samples. In CF-EKS, a hydrodynamic counter-flow is applied during electrokinetic injection of the analytes within the EKS system. This counter-flow minimises the introduction of the sample matrix into the capillary, allowing longer injections to be performed. Careful choice of the optimum counter-flow as well as the optimum injection voltage allowed the sensitivity to be enhanced by 11,800-fold, giving limits of detection (LODs) of 10.7–47.0 ng/L for the selected NSAIDs. The developed method was validated and then applied for the determination of the studied NSAIDs in drinking water as well as wastewater samples from Hobart city.     

Quantitative determination of lipase activity by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

We developed a novel in vitro lipase assay based on the quantitation of fatty acids by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Oleic acids enzymatically released from triolein substrates were isolated from the reaction mixture by reverse-phase chromatography, ionized in negative mode electrospray mass spectrometry and quantitated with the aid of [(13)C]-oleic acid internal standard. The enzymatic activity was measured by monitoring oleic acid productions at multiple time points. This method overcomes the substrate and pH limitations of conventional techniques and thus serves as a generic lipase activity assay.     

Simultaneous determination of five anti-epilepsy drugs in human plasma using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

A new liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method for the determination of carbamazepine, clonazepam, alprazolam, estazolam and phenytoin in human plasma has been developed by using diazepam as an internal standard. Chromatographic separation was performed on a Zorbax SB-C18 column (30 mm × 2.1 mm, 3.5 μm) with a mobile phase consisting of methanol and aqueous 25 mM ammonium acetate using gradient elution. A diethyl ether extraction method was used for the extraction of five anti-epilepsy drugs. The final extract was injected for analysis by LC-MS/MS. The method was validated within the concentration range of 50–5000 ng mL^?1 for five anti-epilepsy drugs. The precision of the assay (RSD%) was less than 10% at all concentration levels within the tested range. The method recoveries for all samples were more than 90%. The results indicate that the method is specific, sensitive and accurate, and suitable to study the pharmacokinetics, to adjust the dosage for individual administration, and to monitor the drug-concentration and drug abuse of the five anti-epilepsy drugs.     

Binuclear copper complexes with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as studied by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

The solutions containing one of the copper salts (CuCl₂, Cu(ClO₄)₂, Cu(NO₃)₂, and CuSO₄) and one of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, ibuprofen, ketoprofen or naproxen) were analyzed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Three of the salts, namely CuCl₂, Cu(ClO₄)₂ and Cu(NO₃)₂, yielded binuclear complexes of drug:metal stoichiometry 1:2. Existence of the complexes of such stoichiometry has not been earlier observed. For copper(II) chloride the complexes (ions of the type [M-HCOOH+Cu₂Cl]⁺ and [M+Cu₂Cl]⁺, M stands for the drug molecule) were formed in the gas phase. When copper(II) perchlorate or copper(II) nitrate was used, the observed binuclear copper complexes (ions of the type [M-H+Cu₂(ClO₄)₂+CH₃OH]⁺, [M-H+Cu₂(ClO₄)₂]⁺ and [M-H+Cu₂(NO₃)₂+CH₃OH]⁺, [M-H+Cu₂(NO₃)₂]⁺) were observed at low cone voltage, thus these complexes must have already existed in the solution analysed. Therefore, such complexes may also exist under physiological conditions.      

Rapid and sensitive method for the determination of propylene oxide in cigarette mainstream smoke by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A rapid method using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the analysis of propylene oxide in cigarette mainstream smoke is reported. Validation data show the method, which requires a minimum of sample preparation, to be selective, sensitive, reliable, and robust. Propylene oxide is found in the University of Kentucky Reference Cigarettes 1R4F and 2R4F at concentrations of 0.93 and 0.65 microg/cigarette, respectively, with a quantitation limit of 0.135 microg/cigarette.     

Quadrupole time-of-flight versus triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry for the determination of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs in surface water by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

A triple-quadrupole instrument and a hybrid quadrupole/time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer were compared for the determination of pharmaceutical compounds in water samples. The drugs investigated were the analgesics Ibuprofen, Fenoprofen, Ketoprofen, Naproxen, and Diclofenac. The recently introduced Q2-pulsing function, which enhances the transmission of fragment ions of a selected m/z window from the collision cell into the TOF analyzer, improved the sensitivity of product ion scans on the quadrupole/TOF instrument. The selectivity is much better on quadrupole/TOF systems than on triple quadrupoles because the high resolving power of the reflectron-TOF mass analyzer permits high-accuracy fragment ion selection. This minimizes interferences from environmental matrices and allows acquisition of full spectra for selected analytes with better signal-to-noise characteristics than comparable spectra obtained with a scanned quadrupole. The qualitative information obtained (mass accuracy, resolution and full-scan spectra) by hybrid quadrupole/TOF mass spectrometry allows a more certain identification of analytes in environmental matrices at trace levels. Sample enrichment of water samples was achieved by a solid-phase extraction procedure. Average recoveries for loading 1 L of samples varied from 88 to 110%, and the quantification limits were less than 1.2 ng/L for the triple-quadrupole instrument (in MRM mode) and less than 3 ng/L for the quadrupole/TOF instrument.     

气相色谱-质谱法快速测定牙膏中的二甘醇

建立了气相色谱-质谱法（GC-MS）快速测定牙膏中的二甘醇的方法。牙膏样品经三氯甲烷提取后,应用气相色谱-质谱联用仪,以选择离子监测（SIM）模式对其中的二甘醇进行分析。二甘醇的线性范围为21.24-1062 mg/L,线性相关系数（r）为0.9995;检出限和定量限分别为2.0、5.0 mg/L;高、中、低3种浓度下的回收率在88.51%-101.6%之间,相对标准偏差（RSD）在1.6%-8.11%之间;仪器对二甘醇的响应在24 h内保持稳定。