Tandem mass spectrometry Sample preparation

Brain et al. [137] reported a tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS) procedure by which a direct measurement from an n-pentane extract of a surfactant is possible. This procedure is excellent from the standpoint of sensitivity and simplicity of sample preparation but is not commonly applied because of the need of an MS-MS instrument. 

All previous discussion has focused on sample preparation, i.e., removal of the targeted analyte(s) from the sample matrix, isolation of the analyte(s) from other co-extracted, undesirable sample components, and transfer of the analytes into a solvent suitable for final analysis. Over the years, numerous types of analytical instruments have been employed for this final analysis step as noted in the preceding text and Tables 3 and 4. Overall, GC and LC are the most often used analytical techniques, and modern GC and LC instrumentation coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) detection systems are currently the analytical techniques of choice. Methods relying on spectrophotometric detection and thin-layer chromatography (TLC) are now rarely employed, except perhaps for qualitative purposes. 

Specifically for triazines in water, multi-residue methods incorporating SPE and LC/MS/MS will soon be available that are capable of measuring numerous parent compounds and all their relevant degradates (including the hydroxytriazines) in one analysis. Continued increases in liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC/API-MS/MS) sensitivity will lead to methods requiring no aqueous sample preparation at all, and portions of water samples will be injected directly into the LC column. The use of SPE and GC or LC coupled with MS and MS/MS systems will also be applied routinely to the analysis of more complex sample matrices such as soil and crop and animal tissues. However, the analyte(s) must first be removed from the sample matrix, and additional research is needed to develop more efficient extraction procedures. Increased selectivity during extraction also simplifies the sample purification requirements prior to injection. Certainly, miniaturization of all aspects of the analysis (sample extraction, purification, and instrumentation) will continue, and some of this may involve SEE, subcritical and microwave extraction, sonication, others or even combinations of these techniques for the initial isolation of the analyte(s) from the bulk of the sample matrix. 

The need to understand the fate of pesticides in the environment has necessitated the development of analytical methods for the determination of residues in environmental media. Adoption of methods utilizing instrumentation such as gas chro-matography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS), liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS), or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has allowed the detection of minute amounts of pesticides and their degradation products in environmental samples. Sample preparation techniques such as solid-phase extraction (SPE), accelerated solvent extraction (ASE), or solid-phase microextraction (SPME) have also been important in the development of more reliable and sensitive analytical methods. 

If we consider only a few of the general requirements for the ideal polymer/additive analysis techniques (e.g. no matrix interferences, quantitative), then it is obvious that the choice is much restricted. Elements of the ideal method might include LD and MS, with reference to CRMs. Laser desorption and REMPI-MS are moving closest to direct selective sampling tandem mass spectrometry is supreme in identification. Direct-probe MS may yield accurate masses and concentrations of the components contained in the polymeric material. Selective sample preparation, efficient separation, selective detection, mass spectrometry and chemometric deconvolution techniques are complementary rather than competitive techniques. For elemental analysis, LA-ICP-ToFMS scores high. 

Deng, Y., Wu, J., Lloyd, T.L., Chi, C.L., Olah, T.V., Unger, S.E. (2002). High-speed gradient parallel liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry with fully automated sample preparation for hioanalysis 30 seconds per sample from plasma. Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 16, 1116-1123. 

Kato K. et al., 2005. Determination of 16 phthalate metabolites in urine using automated sample preparation and onhne preconcentration/high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. Anal Chem 77 2985. 

Zimmer D. et al., 1999. Comparison of turbulent-flow chromatography with automated solid-phase extraction in 96-well plates and liquid-liquid extraction used as plasma sample preparation techniques for liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr A 854 1999. 

Rule G, Henion J. 1999. High-throughput sample preparation and analysis using 96-weU membrane solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography—tandem mass spectrometry for the determination of steroids in human urine. J Am... 

C. L. Olah, T. V. et al. High-speed gradient parallel liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry with fully automated sample preparation for bioanalysis ... 

A newer approach for lipid analysis is electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) (Welti et al., 2002). This method requires limited sample preparation and sample size to identify and quantify lipids. Fauconnier et al. (2003) used ESI-MS/MS to analyze phospholipid and galactolipid levels during aging of potato tubers. 

Yu, C., Penn, L. D., Hollembaek, J., Li, W., and Cohen, L. H. (2004). Enzymatic tissue digestion as an alternative sample preparation approach for quantitative analysis using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Anal. Chem. 76 1761-1767. 

K. Kronkvist, M. Gustavsson, A.-K. Wendel and H. Jaegfeldt, Automated sample preparation for the determination of budesonide in plasma samples by hquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry , J. Chromatogr. A 823 401 -409 (1998). 

Parkin MC, Wei H, O Callaghan JP. Kennedy RT Sample dependent effects on the neuropeptidome eetected in rat brain tissue preparations by capillary liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Anal. Chem. 2005 77 6331-6338. 

There are several important reasons to include sample preparation in modem liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) methods. These include the elimination of matrix components from the sample reduction of ion suppression and, sometimes, improved sample utilization. 

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