Wide-scope screening

WIDE-SCOPE SCREENING OF ILLICIT DRUGS IN URBAN WASTEWATER BY UHPLC-QTOF MS... 

For a wide-scope screening in environmental MS using TOF instruments, two alternatives can typically be applied (Hemdndez et al., 2005a Ibdnez et al., 2008) ... 

Because of the novelty of this approach, a wide-scope screening (300-400 analytes) has only been applied to a few studies (Grimalt et al., 2010 Mezcua et al., 2009). The ability of TOF MS to provide a notable amount of relevant chemical information in a single experiment makes this technique very attractive for a wide-scope screening of illicit dmgs in water using a post-target style. 

As earlier stated, sensitive full-spectmm data acquisition, high-mass resolution, speed, and mass accuracy of new generation TOF MS or QTOF MS instruments allows a highly reliable confirmation and a wide-scope screening of illicit dmgs in the aquatic enviromnent. 

In addition to the reliable confirmation of compounds identity, QTOF MS in MS acquisition mode is an excellent tool for a wide-scope screening of illicit drags in a post-target way. Reference standards are not fully necessary and searching of... 

The illustrative examples described here show the great potential of UHPLC-QTOF MS in MS acquisition mode, for (post-target) wide-scope screening and confirmation of ilhcit drags in complex enviromnental samples. 

Other strategies would be highly useful to apply a wide-scope screening for other compounds of interest. LC-QTOF in MS acquisition mode is much more appropriate for this goal as most of drags of abuse and their metabolites are LC-amenable, and QTOF offers useful relevant information for a reliable identification of compoimds detected in samples. By means of specialized software and appropriate compoimd database, accurate mass information can be processed after MS fuU acquisition using mass error and retention times, when available. This approach allows a safe identification of the compound detected, because of accurate mass data and fragmentation. 

Herndndez F, Bijlsma L, Sancho JV, Diaz R, Ibanez M. Rapid wide-scope screening of drugs of abuse, prescription drugs with potential for abuse and their metabolites in influent and effluent urban wastewater by ultrahigh pressure liquid chromatography—quadrupole-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry. Anal Chim Acta 2011 684 87-97. 

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