Comparison of standard addition and conventional isotope dilution mass spectrometry for the quantification of endogenous progesterone in milk

In this study, a standard addition–isotope dilution mass spectrometry (SA-IDMS) method for quantification of endogenous progesterone in milk has been described. The method validation results, linearity, limits of detection and quantification, recovery and uncertainty were fit for the purpose of assigning reference mass fractions to proficiency testing schemes. The developed technique was compared to the isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) method already existing in the laboratory. Analytical results of two milk samples were (1.377 ± 0.048) μg/kg and (4.457 ± 0.155) μg/kg by SA-ID-LC/MS method, while the results were (1.355 ± 0.019) μg/kg and (4.359 ± 0.059) μg/kg by ID-LC/MS, respectively. Since SA-IDMS was an effective quantitative method that overcame matrix effect, similar quantitative results from IDMS and SA-IDMS indicated that the quantification of progesterone in milk was barely influenced by matrix. Both IDMS and SA-IDMS could be used to assign reference mass fractions to progesterone in milk inter-laboratory proficiency testing schemes.