Enantioseparation of nornicotine in tobacco by ultraperformance convergence chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry

Nornicotine, an alkaloid constituent of tobacco, is a precursor to the carcinogen N‐nitrosonornicotine that is produced during the curing and processing of tobacco. Accumulating evidence reveals that nornicotine enantiomers have different neurochemical and behavioral effects. In the present study, an accurate and rapid method was developed for the enantioseparation of (R )‐(+)‐nornicotine and (S )‐(−)‐nornicotine enantiomers in tobacco by ultra‐performance convergence chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Chromatographic conditions were investigated to achieve the optimal resolution of two enantiomers. Results indicated that (R )‐(+)‐nornicotine and (S )‐(−)‐nornicotine could be separated within 5 min when ammonium hydroxide was added into the cosolvent, and the best resolution (R _s = 4.76) was achieved on a immobilized cellulose tris‐(3,5‐dichlorophenylcarbamate) chiral stationary phase. The proposed method was validated and was finally applied to analyze the compositions of (R )‐(+)‐nornicotine and (S )‐(−)‐nornicotine in three typical types of tobaccos (flue‐cured, burley, and oriental). It was found that, enantiomer fraction of nornicotine (the proportion of (S )‐(−)‐nornicotine in the nornicotine pool) in burley tobacco samples was relatively high and constant compared with flue‐cured and oriental tobaccos. The effective and rapid enantioseparation of nornicotine may help the understanding of alkaloid metabolites in different tobacco varieties and may also benefit pharmacological studies of alkaloid enantiomers.     

Simultaneous determination of 17 bisphenols in polycarbonate by ultra‐high performance supercritical fluid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry

A novel method was developed for the first time for the determination of 17 bisphenols by ultra‐high performance supercritical fluid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Under the optimal conditions, 17 bisphenols were separated successfully on a high density diol column in 9 min using methanol and carbon dioxide as mobile phase. 0.02% ammonium hydroxide/methanol v/v was used as the post‐column compensation solvent to improve response of mass spectrometry. Linear relations of matrix‐matched calibration curve were favorable over the selected concentration range of 1–100 μg/kg with correlation coefficients greater than 0.9981. The method limit of detection and limit of quantitation were 0.1–0.5 μg/kg and 0.5–2.5 μg/kg, respectively. The average recoveries at three spiked levels in polycarbonate were in the range of 81.8–114.5%. Intra‐day and inter‐day precisions for six replicates were below 15.0%. This method was successfully applied to determine bisphenols in polycarbonate.     

Enantioselective separation and pharmacokinetic dissipation of cyflumetofen in field soil by ultra‐performance convergence chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry

Little data on the enantioselective separation of cyflumetofen exists, despite the fact that such data are essential to the assessment of the fate and potential toxic effects of cyflumetofen enantiomers. To address this issue, a simple and sensitive method for the enantioselective determination of cyflumetofen enantiomers in soil has been established using ultra performance convergence chromatography tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. The effects of the chiral stationary phases, mobile phase, auto backpressure regulator pressure, column temperature, flow rate of the mobile phase, and compensation pump solvent were evaluated. The proposed method was applied to the study of the pharmacokinetic dissipation of cyflumetofen stereoisomers in soil under greenhouse conditions. The estimated half‐life of cyflumetofen isomers ranged from 12.2 to 13.6 days, and statistically significant enantioselective degradation was observed. This study not only demonstrates that there is an efficient and sensitive method for cyflumetofen enantioseparation, but also provides the first experimental evidence of the pharmacokinetic dissipation of cyflumetofen stereoisomers in the environment.     

Direct determination of trace phthalate esters in alcoholic spirits by spray‐inlet microwave plasma torch ionization tandem mass spectrometry

A direct analytical method based on spray‐inlet microwave plasma torch tandem mass spectrometry was applied to simultaneously determine 4 phthalate esters (PAEs), namely, benzyl butyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate, dipentyl phthalate, and dodecyl phthalate with extremely high sensitivity in spirits without sample treatment. Among the 4 brands of spirit products, 3 kinds of PAE compounds were directly determined at very low concentrations from 1.30 to 114 ng·g⁻¹. Compared with other online and off‐line methods, the spray‐inlet microwave plasma torch tandem mass spectrometry technique is extremely simple, rapid, sensitive, and high efficient, providing an ideal screening tool for PAEs in spirits.     

Detection of buffalo mozzarella adulteration by an ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry methodology

Over the past years, LC–MS‐based approaches have gained a growing interest in food analysis by using different platforms and methodologies. In particular, enhanced selectivity and sensitivity of multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) scan function offer powerful capabilities in detecting and quantifying specific analytes within complex mixtures such as food matrices. The MRM approach, traditionally applied in biomedical research, is particularly suitable for the detection of food adulteration and for the verification of authenticity to assure food safety and quality, both recognized as top priorities by the European Union Commission. Increasingly stringent legislation ensure products safety along every step ‘from farm to fork’, especially for traditional foods designed with the Protected Designation of Origin certification. Therefore, there is a growing demand of new methodologies for defining food authenticity in order to preserve their unique traits against frauds. In this work, an ultra performance liquid chromatopgraphy‐electrospray ionization‐tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) methodology based on MRM has been developed for the sensitive and selective detection of buffalo mozzarella adulteration. The targeted quantitative analysis was performed by monitoring specific transitions of the phosphorylated β‐casein f33‐48 peptide, identified as a novel species‐specific proteotypic marker. The high sensitivity of MRM‐based MS and the wide dynamic range of triple quadrupole spectrometers have proved to be a valuable tool for the analysis of food matrices such as dairy products, thus offering new opportunities for monitoring food quality and adulterations. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Solid‐phase extraction based on chloromethylated polystyrene magnetic nanospheres followed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry to determine phthalate esters in beverages

An ultrasound‐assisted magnetic solid‐phase extraction procedure with chloromethylated polystyrene‐coated Fe₃O₄ nanospheres as magnetic adsorbents has been developed to determine eight phthalate esters (bis(4‐methyl‐2‐pentyl) phthalate, dipentyl phthalate, dihexyl phthalate, benzyl butyl phthalate, bis(2‐butoxyethyl) phthalate, dicyclohexyl phthalate, di‐n‐octyl phthalate, and dinonyl phthalate) simultaneously in beverage samples, in combination with gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry for the first time. Several factors related to magnetic solid‐phase extraction efficiencies, such as amount of adsorbent, extracting time, ionic strength, and desorption conditions were investigated. The enrichment factors of the method for the eight analytes were over 2482. A good linearity was observed in the range of 10–500 ng/L for bis(2‐butoxyethyl) phthalate and 2–500 ng/L for the other phthalate esters with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.9980 to 0.9998. The limits of detection and quantification for the eight phthalate esters were in the range of 0.20–2.90 and 0.67–9.67 ng/L, respectively. The mean recoveries at three spiked levels were 75.8–117.7%, the coefficients of variations were <11.6%. The proposed method was demonstrated to be a simple and efficient technique for the trace analysis of the phthalate esters in beverage samples.     

Simultaneous determination of cyadox and its metabolites in plasma by high‐performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

Cyadox is a novel antimicrobial growth‐promoter of the quinoxalines. For food safety and pharmacokinetic studies, a convenient, sensitive and reproducible LC‐ESI‐MS/MS method was developed for the simultaneous determination of cyadox and its major metabolites, quinoxaline‐2‐carboxylic acid, 1,4‐bisdesoxycyadox, cyadox‐1‐monoxide and cyadox‐4‐monoxide in chicken plasma. Plasma sample was subjected to a simple deproteinisation with acetonitrile. Analysis was performed on a C₁₈ column by detection with mass spectrometry in multiple reaction monitoring mode. A gradient elution program with 0.2% formic acid, methanol and acetonitrile was performed at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min. The decision limits (CCαs) of five analytes in plasma ranged from 1.0 to 4.0 μg/L, and the detection capabilities (CCβs) were <10 μg/L. Acceptable precision and accuracy were obtained for concentrations over the standard curve range. The extraction recoveries of five analytes were between 87.4 and 93.9% in plasma at the spiked levels of 5 (10)–200 μg/L with the relative standard deviations <10% for each analyte. The developed method demonstrated a satisfactory applicability in real plasma samples.     

Determination of phthalate esters in Chinese spirits using isotope dilution gas chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry

Phthalate esters are additives used in polyvinylchloride and are found as contaminants in many food products. An isotope dilution mass spectrometry technique has been developed for accurate analysis of 16 phthalate esters in Chinese spirits by adopting the 16 corresponding isotope‐labeled phthalate esters. The ethanol in the spirit sample was first removed by heating with a water bath at 100°C with a stream of nitrogen, after which the residue was extracted with n‐hexane twice. The phthalates collected were identified and quantified by gas chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry in multiple reaction monitoring mode. The spiking recoveries of 16 analytes ranged from 94.3 to 105.3% with relative standard deviation values of <6.5%. The detection limits for 16 analytes were <10.0 ng/g. The expanded relative uncertainties were from 3.0 to 14%. A survey was performed on Chinese spirits from the market. Six of the nine analyzed samples were contaminated by phthalates. Di‐n‐butyl phthalate and di‐2‐ethylhexyl phthalate showed higher detection frequency and concentrations. This isotope dilution gas chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method is simple, rapid, accurate, and highly sensitive, which qualifies as a candidate reference method for the determination of phthalates in spirits.     

气相色谱-三重四极杆质谱法同时测定生脉饮中17种邻苯二甲酸酯类化合物的残留量

建立了气相色谱-三重四极杆质谱（GC-QQQ MS）同时测定生脉饮中17种邻苯二甲酸酯类化合物（PAE）残留量的方法。样品经正己烷振摇提取后进行检测。采用Agilent HP-5MS毛细管色谱柱（30 m×0.25 mm×0.25 μm）在程序升温条件下进行色谱分离;质谱以电子轰击（EI）为电离方式,采用多反应监测（MRM）模式进行监测。实验结果表明：17种PAE在0.5~20 mg/L范围内呈线性关系,r均大于0.99;平均加标回收率除邻苯二甲酸二甲酯（DMP）为51.9%、邻苯二甲酸二乙酯（DEP）为77.2%外,其余15种为91.8%~117.2%,RSD（n=6）为0.5%~5.4%。该方法操作简便,准确可靠,灵敏度高,专属性强,可用于生脉饮中邻苯二甲酸酯类化合物残留量的检测,以控制生脉饮的用药安全。     

Simultaneous determination of five phthalate esters and bisphenol A in milk by packed‐nanofiber solid‐phase extraction coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry

A novel polystyrene/pyridine composite nanofiber was synthesized and utilized as the sorbent material for the solid‐phase extraction of bisphenol A and five common phthalate esters in milk. The method of extraction integrated extraction and preconcentration of target analytes into a single step. Bisphenol A and five common phthalate esters were selected as target compounds for the development and evaluation of the method. The effects of operating parameters for nanofiber‐based solid‐phase extraction, such as selection and amount of sorbent, the volume fraction of perchlorate (precipitate protein), desorption solvent, volume of desorption solvent, and effect of salt addition were optimized. Under optimal conditions, higher extraction recoveries (89.6–118.0%) of the six compounds in milk spiked at three levels were obtained, and the satisfied relative standard deviation were ranged from 0.6 to 10.9%. The detection limits and quantification limits of the method ranged from 0.01 to 0.06 μg/L and 0.05 to 0.53 μg/L, respectively. Matrix effects were also verified and well controlled in the range of 91.3–109.3%. The new method gave better performance metrics than Chinese standard method and other published methods. Thus, the proposed method may be applied to the analysis of the phthalate esters and bisphenol A in complex matrixes.     

超高效合相色谱快速检测塑料制品中的15种邻苯二甲酸酯

建立了使用超高效合相色谱检测塑料中15种邻苯二甲酸酯的方法。样品经正己烷超声萃取,过0.45 μ m有机膜后上机测试。采用ACQUITY UPC² HSS C18 SB色谱柱（150 mm×3 mm, 1.8 μ m）,以超临界CO₂流体为主流动相、乙腈为流动相改性剂进行梯度洗脱,流速为1.5 mL/min。在系统背压为12.41 MPa、色谱柱温度为65 ℃、二极管阵列检测器（PDA）检测波长为220 nm的条件下,15种邻苯二甲酸酯可以在8 min内实现分离检测。实验结果表明：15种邻苯二甲酸酯的线性范围为0.5~10 mg/L,相关系数大于0.9960,检出限（S/N=3）为1.0~2.2 mg/kg,加标回收率为78.1%~122.3%,相对标准偏差为2.95%~8.26%。该方法分析速度快,为邻苯二甲酸酯类物质的检测提供了新的选择。     

Determination of organophosphate esters in water samples by mixed‐mode liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry

A simple and sensitive method for the determination of organophosphate esters in water samples by mixed‐mode liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry coupled with solid‐phase extraction is developed. Using seven alkyl phosphates, three chlorinated alkyl phosphates, and four aryl phosphates as the targets, the developed method was systematically evaluated on the basis of the influence of the solid‐phase extraction cartridge, eluting solvent, sample‐loading volume, mobile phase condition, and the separation of reversed‐phase chromatography and mixed‐mode liquid chromatography. Under the optimal conditions, these organophosphate esters can be extracted by ENVI‐18 cartridge, eluted by 6 mL of 25% dichloromethane in acetonitrile, and then qualified and quantified by mixed‐mode liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry in the multiple reaction‐monitoring mode. The application of mixed‐mode liquid chromatography endows the separation with reasonable retention for both hydrophilic and hydrophobic organophosphate esters regardless of their polarity, which is hardly achieved by reversed‐phase chromatography. Good linearity (from 0.9877 to 0.9969), low quantification limits (1–35 ng/L after extraction of 100 mL of river water), and acceptable recovery rates (58.6–116.2%, with the relative standard deviation <18.0%) were obtained. Finally, the established method was used for analyzing surface water samples, and the good applicability of this method was demonstrated.     

固相萃取-超高效液相色谱-串联质谱法同时测定食品接触塑料制品中10种苯并三唑类紫外吸收剂

建立了固相萃取-超高效液相色谱-串联质谱(SPE-UPLC-MS/MS)同时测定食品接触塑料制品中10种苯并三唑类(BZTs)紫外吸收剂的方法。食品接触塑料制品使用甲醇-二氯甲烷混合溶剂超声提取,C18固相萃取柱净化后用Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C₁₈色谱柱(100 mm×2.1 mm, 1.7 μm)分离,甲醇和0.1%(v/v)甲酸水溶液为流动相进行梯度洗脱,多反应监测(MRM)模式检测,外标法定量分析。结果表明,10种BZTs在线性范围内线性关系良好,线性相关系数(r²)均大于0.996;检出限为0.6~1.6 μg/kg; 3个水平下的加标回收率为75.2%~85.3%,相对标准偏差为1.0%~5.7%。该方法准确、简便、快速、检出限低,可用于食品接触塑料制品中10种BZTs的同时检测。     

Simultaneous assay of sildenafil and desmethylsildenafil in neonatal plasma by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

Sildenafil is used to treat pulmonary hypertension in neonatal and pediatric patients. Pharmacokinetic studies in these patients are complicated by the limited sample volume. We present the validation results of an assay method to quantitate sildenafil and desmethylsildenafil simultaneously in 50 µL of plasma. Deuterated sildenafil was used as an internal standard. After liquid–liquid extraction, analytes were separated on an ultra‐performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)‐column and quantified via tandem mass spectrometry. The calibration range was linear, with acceptable accuracy and a precision of <15% for both compounds. The lower limits of quantification were 1 ng/mL. Matrix effects were present, but inter‐plasma batch variability was under 12%. The method was successfully applied to samples from a pharmacokinetic study into sildenafil pharmacokinetics in neonates, making maximum use of the limited number and amount of plasma samples available. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

三重串联四级杆气质联用法测定化妆品中的三种邻苯二甲酸酯类增塑剂

建立了一种快速、灵敏、准确的三重串联四级杆气质联用(GC-MS/MS)法,将其用于同时检测化妆品中的三种邻苯二甲酸酯(邻苯二甲酸二丁酯、邻苯二甲酸丁基苄基酯、邻苯二甲酸二乙基己酯)增塑剂.化妆品经甲醇提取,HP-5MS柱分离,采用GC-MS/MS的多反应监测模式,以保留时间和离子对(母离子和子离子)信息比较定性,以母离子和响应值高的子离子进行定量.结果表明,该方法的检出限为12～28ng/g,相对标准偏差为1.6%～7.54%,目标物的加标回收率为86.4%～121.1%;该方法可用于检测日常化妆品中邻苯二甲酸酯的含量.     

Simultaneous quantification of atenolol and chlorthalidone in human plasma by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

A simple, sensitive and reproducible ultra‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of atenolol, a β‐adrenergic receptor‐blocker and chlorthalidone, a monosulfonamyl diuretic in human plasma, using atenolol‐d7 and chlorthalidone‐d4 as the internal standards (ISs). Following solid‐phase extraction on Phenomenex Strata‐X cartridges using 100 μL human plasma sample, the analytes and ISs were separated on an Acquity UPLC BEH C₁₈ (50 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.7 µm) column using a mobile phase consisting of 0.1% formic acid–acetonitrile (25:75, v/v). A tandem mass spectrometer equipped with electrospray ionization was used as a detector in the positive ionization mode for both analytes. The linear concentration range was established as 0.50–500 ng/mL for atenolol and 0.25–150 ng/mL for chlorthalidone. Extraction recoveries were within 95–103% and ion suppression/enhancement, expressed as IS‐normalized matrix factors, ranged from 0.95 to 1.06 for both the analytes. Intra‐batch and inter‐batch precision (CV) and accuracy values were 2.37–5.91 and 96.1–103.2%, respectively. Stability of analytes in plasma was evaluated under different conditions, such as bench‐top, freeze–thaw, dry and wet extract and long‐term. The developed method was superior to the existing methods for the simultaneous determination of atenolol and chlorthalidone in human plasma with respect to the sensitivity, chromatographic analysis time and plasma volume for processing. Further, it was successfully applied to support a bioequivalence study of 50 mg atenolol + 12.5 mg chlorthalidone in 28 healthy Indian subjects. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantitative determination of domperidone in human plasma by ultraperformance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

A simple and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for determining domperidone in human plasma. The analyte and internal standard (IS; mosapride) were isolated from plasma samples by protein precipitation with methanol (containing 0.1% formic acid). The chromatographic separation was performed on an Xterra MS C(18) Column (2.1 x 150 mm, 5.0 microm) with a gradient programme mobile phase consisting of 0.1% formic acid and acetonitrile at a flow rate of 0.30 mL/min. The total run time was 4.0 min. The analyses were carried out by multiple reaction monitoring using the parent-to-daughter combinations m/z 426 --> 175 and m/z 422 --> 198 (IS). The areas of peaks from the analyte and IS were used for quantification of domperidone. The method was validated according to the FDA guidelines on bioanalytical method validation. Validation results indicated that the lower limit of quantification was 0.2 ng/mL, and the assay exhibited a linear range of 0.2-60.0 ng/mL and gave a correlation coefficient (r(2)) of 0.999 or better. Quality control samples (0.4, 0.8, 15 and 50 ng/mL) in six replicates from three different analytical runs demonstrated an intra-assay precision (RSD) 4.43-6.26%, an inter-assay precision 5.25-7.45% and an overall accuracy (relative error) of <6.92%. The method can be applied to pharmacokinetic and bioequivalence studies of domperidone.     

Simultaneous determination of saflufenacil and its two metabolites in soil samples by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry

Saflufenacil is a new protoporphyrinogen‐IX‐oxidase inhibitor herbicide. When used, it can enter the soil and has a high risk to reach and contaminate groundwater and aquatic systems. A rapid and sensitive method of ultra‐performance LC with MS/MS was developed for the simultaneous determination of saflufenacil and its two metabolites in soil samples. A modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe method was applied as the pretreatment procedure. The method was validated by five types of soil samples collected from several regions of China, which all showed good linearity (R² ≥ 0.9914) and precision (RSD ≤ 26.2%). The average recoveries of the three analytes ranged between 74.1 and 118.9% at spiking levels of 3–300 μg/kg. The method limits of detection (S/N 3:1) and method limits of quantification (S/N 10:1) achieved are in the ranges of 0.25–2.75 and 0.83–9.16 μg/kg, respectively. This indicated that the developed ultra‐performance LC with MS/MS method is a promising analytical tool for monitoring the environmental risks posed by saflufenacil.     

高效液相色谱-串联质谱法测定焙烤食品及其塑料包装中31种邻苯二甲酸酯

建立了高效液相色谱-三重四极杆串联质谱（HPLC-MS/MS）测定焙烤食品及其塑料包装中31种邻苯二甲酸酯（PAEs）的方法。焙烤食品采用乙酸乙酯超声提取,提取液经冷冻（-18℃）、低温高速离心净化,剪碎后的塑料包装材料采用体积比为1：1：1的甲醇-丙酮-正己烷混合溶剂进行液液超声萃取后进入HPLC-MS/MS分析。采用MGⅢC₁₈色谱柱（2.0 mm×100 mm,5 μm）,选择反应监测（SRM）模式测定。实验结果表明,31种邻苯二甲酸酯的特征离子质量色谱峰的峰面积与其质量浓度在各自的质量浓度范围内线性关系良好（r²≥0.9958）。样品加标回收率除邻苯二甲酸二月桂酯（DLP）为70.9%～109.7%外,其余30种化合物为80.1%～113.0%,相对标准偏差（n=6）为1.0%～13.7%。31种PAEs的检出限在0.02～8.15 μg/kg之间,定量限在0.07～27.17 μg/kg之间。应用该方法检测了面包、饼干、糕点、馅料4大类焙烤食品及其塑料包装中31种邻苯二甲酸酯的含量。该方法具有操作简单、快速、准确度和精密度高等优点,满足日常检测的要求。     

Simultaneous determination of antiviral drugs in chicken tissues by ultra high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry

An ultra high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method was established for the rapid and simultaneous analysis of seven antiviral drugs, amantadine, rimantadine, memantine, moroxydine, imiquimod, oseltamivir, and acyclovir, in chicken liver, muscle, and egg. Homogenized samples were extracted with trichloroacetic acid and acetonitrile solutions and then purified by cation‐exchange solid‐phase extraction. The target drugs were analyzed by liquid chromatography with a UPLC BEH Amide column (2.1 mm × 100 mm, 1.7 μm) coupled with a tandem mass spectrometer operating in the positive multiple‐reaction mode. A perfectly linear relationship was obtained within the concentration ranges of 0.5–20 μg/L for acyclovir and 0.1–10 μg/L for the other six antiviral drugs. The average recoveries of the seven antiviral drugs using four addition levels in chicken liver, muscle, and eggs were 82.67–90.10, 82.30–92.27, and 81.98–93.77%, respectively, and the acceptable coefficients of variation were 5.18–9.88, 4.84–11.2, and 42.8–9.95%, respectively. The detection limits and detection capabilities of the analysis method for the seven antiviral drugs were in the ranges of 0.04–0.64 and 0.11–0.78 μg/kg, respectively. Additionally, an inter‐laboratory study among five laboratories further validated the method.