Location of double-bond position in tetradecenols without chemical modification by mass spectrometry

Twelve positional isomers of tetradecenol were analysed by conventional combined gas chromatography/mass Spectrometry without any chemical derivatization for the elucidation of the double-bond position. The spectra were interpreted in terms of similarity of mass spectral patterns based on a fuzzy reasoning method, in which the relative abundances of selected predominant fragment ions were chosen as standard parameters and similarity indices were devised. The method was tested with pure alcohols and enabled the double-bond position to be located with acceptable accuracy.     

Elucidation of the double-bond position of long-chain unsaturated fatty acids by multiple-stage linear ion-trap mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization

Linear ion-trap (LIT) MS2 mass spectrometric approach toward locating the position of double bond(s) of unsaturated long-chain fatty acids and toward discerning among isomeric unsaturated fatty acids as dilithiated adduct ([M-H+2Li]+) ions are described in this report. Upon resonance excitation in a LIT instrument, charge-remote fragmentation that involves beta-cleavage with gamma-H shift (McLafferty rearrangement) is the predominant fragmentation pathway seen for the [M-H+2Li]+ ions of monoenoic long-chain fatty acids. The fragmentation process results in a dilithiated product ion of terminally unsaturated fatty acid, which undergoes consecutive McLafferty rearrangement to eliminate a propylene residue, and gives rise to another dilithiated adduct ion of terminally unsaturated fatty acid. In addition to the above-cited fragmentation process, the [M-H+2Li]+ ions of homoconjugated dienoic long-chain fatty acids also undergo alpha-cleavage(s) with shift of the allylic hydrogen situated between the homoconjugated double bonds to the unsaturated site. These fragmentation pathways lead to two types of CC bond cleavages that are allylic (alpha-cleavage) or vinylic, respectively, to the proximal CC double bond, resulting in two distinct sets of ion series, in which each ion series is separated by a CH2CHCH (40 Da) residue. These latter fragmentations are the predominant processes seen for the polyunsaturated long-chain fatty acids. The spectrum feature dependent on the position of unsaturated double bond(s) affords unambiguous assignment of the position of double bond(s) of long-chain unsaturated fatty acids.     

Determination of vanadium in mussels by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry without chemical modifiers

A method was developed for the quantitative determination of total vanadium concentration in mussels via electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS). After the microwave digestion of the samples, a program using temperatures of 1600 °C and 2600 °C for ashing and atomization respectively, without any matrix modifiers, allowed us to obtain results that were satisfactory since they agreed closely with certified reference material values. The detection limit was 0.03 mg kg^–1 (dry weight), indicating that the method is suitable for the analysis of mussel samples. This determination was compared with matrix modifiers that have been reported previously. The method was applied to various cultivated and wild mussels from the Galician coast, yielding levels below 1 mg kg^–1 (wet weight).     

Determination of selenium in human milk by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry and chemical modification

A method was developed for the determination of selenium in human milk using electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. The use of chemical modifiers as well as their implications during the pyrolysis step was examined. The chemical modifiers that were studied were Zr, Ir as well as the mixed modifier Zr-Ir. The Ir modifier stabilized selenium at 1000 °C, Zr at 800 °C, while the mixed modifier at 1200 °C. The effect of modifier mass was studied and was found that better results are achieved with addition of 2 μg Zr and 2 μg Ir. The characteristic masses of selenium in the presence of Zr, Ir and the mixed modifier were found to be 73.3, 18.0 and 14.7 pg, respectively, while the corresponding limits of detection were found 2.0, 0.50 and 0.41 μg l⁻¹. Consequently better results were obtained with the mixed modifier. The developed method was applied for the determination of selenium in human milk, which was digested with a HNO₃ + H₂O₂ mixture in a microwave oven. The limit of detection of the method was 1.37 μg l⁻¹, the characteristic mass, m₀, was 48.8 pg and the repeatability was less than 5% as R.S.D.(%). Matrix matched calibration was used. Recoveries were estimated to be 93-105%. The method was applied to breast milk of Greek women (n = 9) and the Se content was found to be in the range 16.7-42.6 μg l⁻¹ with mean value 27.4 ± 5.5 μg l⁻¹.     

气相色谱-负化学离子源质谱法检测胡萝卜中残留的环氟菌胺

建立了胡萝卜中环氟菌胺残留量的气相色谱-负化学离子源质谱(GC-NCI/MS)检测方法。用乙酸乙酯对胡萝卜中的环氟菌胺进行提取,并经固相萃取(SPE)净化后,由GC-NCI/MS在选择离子监测模式(SIM)下测定。该方法的准确度和精密度较高,在0.005,0.01,0.02,0.04 mg/kg 4个加标水平下,环氟菌胺的平均回收率均处于74.9%～96.4%之间,相对标准偏差(RSD)小于9.7%。在10～1000ng/mL范围内线性关系良好,检出限为0.001 mg/kg,定量限为0.005 mg/kg。该方法选择性好,抗干扰能力强,可作为胡萝卜中环氟菌胺残留检测的确证方法。     

Determination of chlorantraniliprole residues in crops by liquid chromatography coupled with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry

An analytical method is presented for the determination of chlorantraniliprole residues in crops. Chlorantraniliprole residues were extracted from crop matrixes with acetonitrile after a water soak. The extracts were passed through a strong anion-exchange (SAX) SPE cartridge stacked on top of a reversed-phase (RP) polymer cartridge. After both cartridges were rinsed and vacuum-dried, the SAX cartridge was removed, and chlorantraniliprole was eluted from the RP polymer cartridge with acetonitrile. The acetonitrile eluate was evaporated to dryness, reconstituted, and analyzed using an LC/MS/MS instrument equipped with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization source. The method was successfully validated at 0.010, 0.10, and 10 mg/kg for the following crop matrixes: potatoes, sugar beets (tops), lettuce, broccoli, soybeans, soybean forage, tomatoes, cucumbers, oranges, apples, pears, peaches, almonds (nutmeat), rice grain, wheat grain, wheat hay, corn stover, alfalfa forage, cottonseed, grapes, and corn grain. The average recoveries from all crop samples fortified at the method LOQ ranged from 91 to 108%, with an overall average recovery of 97%. The average recoveries from all crop samples fortified at 10 times the method LOQ ranged from 89 to 115%, with an overall average recovery of 101%. For all of the fortified control samples analyzed in this study, the overall average recovery was 99%.     

Targeted analysis of protein citrullination using chemical modification and tandem mass spectrometry

Protein citrullination originates from enzymatic deimination of polypeptide‐bound arginine and is involved in various biological processes during health and disease. However, tools required for a detailed and targeted proteomic analysis of citrullinated proteins in situ, including their citrullination sites, are limited. A widely used technique for detection of citrullinated proteins relies on antibody staining after specific derivatization of citrulline residues by 2,3‐butanedione and antipyrine. We have recently reported on the details of this reaction. Here, we show that this chemical modification can be utilized to specifically detect and identify citrullinated peptides and their citrullination sites by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) analysis. Using model compounds, we demonstrate that in collision‐induced dissociation (CID) a specific, modification‐derived fragment ion appears as the dominating signal at m/z 201.1 in the MS/MS spectra. When applying electron transfer dissociation (ETD), however, the chemical modification of citrulline remained intact and extensive sequence coverage allowed identification of peptides and their citrullination sites. Therefore, LC/MS/MS analysis with alternating CID and ETD has been performed, using CID for specific, signature ion‐based detection of derivatized citrullinated peptides and ETD for sequence determination. The usefulness of this targeted analysis was demonstrated by identifying citrullination sites in myelin basic protein deiminated in vitro. Combining antibody‐based enrichment of chemically modified citrulline‐containing peptides with specific mass spectrometric detection will increase the potential of such a targeted analysis of protein citrullination in the future. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Determination of pentachlorophenol by negative ion chemical ionization with membrane introduction mass spectrometry

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) was used as a model compound to explore the potential of desorption chemical ionization (DCI) in the determination of polychlorinated pesticides using membrane introduction mass spectrometry (MIMS). A direct insertion membrane probe was modified so that a chemical ionization plasma could be established at the membrane surface. Using selected ion monitoring (SIM) in a tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometer with isobutane chemical ionization (CI), the PCP detection limit under positive chemical ionization is 20 ppb whereas negative CI gives detection limits in the low ppb range. This performance is achieved without any pre-treatment or derivatization of the sample. Negative ion CI gives a signal that is linear over a concentration range of 2-1000 ppb. Comparison of data obtained with low ppb samples of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol and pentachlorophenol suggests that the sensitivity of this analytical procedure increases with increase in the number of electronegative substituents in the molecule.     

Sensitive determination of inosine RNA modification in single cell by chemical derivatization coupled with mass spectrometry analysis

Inosine is a vital RNA modification across three kingdoms of life. It has been demonstrated that inosine plays important roles in modulation of the fate of RNAs. In the current study, we developed a highly sensitive method to determine inosine in a single cell by N-cyclohexyl-N’-β-(4-methylmorpholinium)ethylcarbodiimide p-toluenesulfonate(CMCT) derivatization in combination with mass spectrometry analysis. The results showed that the detection sensitivity of inosine was increased by 556-fold aft...     

气相色谱-负化学离子源质谱法测定含硫蔬菜中残留的14种农药

建立了含硫蔬菜(大葱、大蒜、蒜薹及韭菜等)中14种农药残留的气相色谱-负化学离子源质谱(GC-NCI/MS)检测方法。样品先采用微波加热处理除去大部分的含硫干扰物,然后用乙腈均质提取,提取液用凝胶渗透色谱(GPC)和N-丙基乙二胺(PSA)固相萃取小柱净化后用GC-NCI/MS在选择离子监测模式下测定。在50 μg/kg加标水平下回收率为49.2%～113.1%,相对标准偏差为1.42%～8.70%,检出限(以3倍信噪比计)为0.5～10.0 μg/kg。方法的选择性好,抗干扰能力强,能消除复杂基质带来的干扰,适合于含硫蔬菜中农药残留的确证分析。     

基于质谱技术识别脂质双键位置的研究进展

脂质在能量贮存和信号传递方面发挥着巨大作用,同时还是生物膜的主要组成成分。不饱和脂质双键位置不同,生理学意义和生物学功能会有很大差异,因此脂质双键位置的识别至关重要。质谱具有灵敏快速、准确度高等优势,已成为脂质结构研究的重要方法。近年来,不同原理的电离技术与选择性衍生反应迅速发展起来,与质谱相结合已广泛应用于多种脂质双键位置的识别。本文主要对这些新型质谱技术进行总结,并展望了其未来发展趋势。     

Determination of patulin in apple juice by high-performance liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry

An HPLC-MS-MS method with selected reaction monitoring (SRM) for the determination of patulin in apple juice samples is described. Mass spectrometric detection was accomplished following atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) in both positive and negative ion modes. Collision induced dissociation (CID) of the protonated molecular ion led initially to the loss of H2O (fragment m/z 137). At higher energies CO is lost from both the protonated parent molecule (fragment m/z 127) and the dehydrated molecular ion (fragment m/z 109). In contrast, CID of the deprotonated molecular ion led initially to the fragment at m/z 109 corresponding to the loss of either CO2 or acetaldehyde, followed at higher CID energy by the loss of H2O (fragment m/z 135) and CO (fragment m/z 125) from the deprotonated molecular ion. Detection in the negative ion mode proved superior and a linear response was observed over the injected range from 6 to 200 ng patulin. Apple juice samples spiked with patulin between 10 and 135 microg/l were analyzed following liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate and clean up with sodium carbonate. Utilizing reversed-phase HPLC with acetonitrile-water (10:90) at 0.5 ml/min, levels down to 10 microg/l were readily quantified and a detection limit of 4 microg/l was attainable at a signal-to-noise (SIN) ratio of 4. The MS data for the spiked samples compared well to the UV data and when plotted against each other displayed a correlation coefficient (R) of 0.99.     

Determination of clenbuterol in bovine plasma and tissues by gas chromatography-negative-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry

A highly sensitive and specific assay was developed for the determination of clenbuterol in bovine plasma and tissues. Clenbuterol and the internal standard [2H9]clenbuterol were measured by gas chromatography-negative-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry with methane as the reagent gas. Bovine tissues including muscle, liver, heart, kidney, lung, suet, brain, spinal cord and thymus were ground in a buffer of pH 7 and then extracted using ethyl acetate. After two subsequent purification steps, the cleaned-up organic extract was derivatized with pentafluoropropionic anhydride. The mass spectrometer was set to monitor the abundant ions m/z 368 and 377 of the perfluoroacyl derivatives. This assay was performed with 1 ml of plasma or 0.2 g of tissue. The feasibility of this method was demonstrated by the determination of clenbuterol residues as the femtomole level in a variety of tissues.     

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.     

Catalytic double-bond metathesis without the transition metal

Iminophosphoranes of the type X(3)P=NR (X = Cl, pyrrolyl; R = alkyl, aryl) catalytically metathesize C=N bonds of carbodiimides via an addition/elimination mechanism that, despite the lack of d orbital participation in P-N bonding, conserves the key features of metal-catalyzed olefin metathesis. Diazaphosphetidine intermediates, produced by the formal [2 + 2] addition of carbodiimides to the P=N bond, have been isolated and characterized. All phosphorus-containing species in the complex catalytic reaction mixtures have been identified and their origins explained. The kinetics of addition of diisopropylcarbodiimide to Cl(3)P=NPr(i)() and subsequent elimination were studied, and rate constants were determined: k(add) = 1.7 x 10(-3) (+/-0.1 x 10(-3)) M s(-1) and k(elim) = 4.0 x 10(-4) (+/-0.3 x 10(-4)) s(-1). The rate of these reactions corresponds well with the observed catalytic TOF of 1.44 TO/P/h.     

Determination of the configuration of piperidin-4-ol silyl ethers by mass spectrometry with chemical ionization

Mass spectrometry with chemical ionization (isobutane as reactant gas) can be used for the determination of the configuration of the chiral center at the C(4) atom in molecules of silyl ethers of 2,6-diaryl-substituted piperidin-4-ols. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 1625–1627, September, 2006.