Rapid, accurate and precise quantitative drug analysis: comparing liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and chip-based nanoelectrospray ionisation mass spectrometry

Eur J Mass Spectrom (Chichester). 2005;11(4):393-402. doi: 10.1255/ejms.772.

Abstract

We have developed a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) system capable of achieving better than 2% accuracy, routinely over a wide concentration range of 1800 ng mL-1. We demonstrate that the necessary high precision, high accuracy and rapid analysis can be achieved using LC-MS/MS technology. Automated nanoelectrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (nanoESI-MS/MS) technology can be employed to eliminate the chromatographic step completely. In this paper, nanoESI-MS/MS is evaluated and compared directly with LC-MS/MS for the quantitative analysis of two-test analytes, amitriptyline (ATT) and 5-methoxytryptamine (5-MTT), in aqueous/organic mixture. Calibration curves were found to be linear over a wide concentration range of 1800 ng mL-1 for both analytes using LC-MS/MS. Using nanoESI-MS/MS ATT gave a linear response while 5-MTT gave a non-linear response using nanoESI-MS/MS over the same concentration range as in LC-MS/MS. Accuracy and precision values of quality control samples (QCs) at four concentration levels were analysed in replicates of six at each level using 5-MTT and ATT as test analytes for both techniques. The LC-MS/MS system was capable of achieving accuracy levels of 99.50101.96% for ATT and 100.17100.40% for 5-MTT. Accuracy levels using nanoESI-MS/MS were not comparable to LC-MS/MS, they ranged from 90.09100.18% for ATT and 95.95113.55% for 5-MTT. The precision values obtained for nanoESI-MS/MS were in good agreement with those obtained by LC-MS/MS.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • 5-Methoxytryptamine / analysis*
  • Amitriptyline / analysis*
  • Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / analysis*
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid*
  • Microchemistry
  • Microchip Analytical Procedures / methods*
  • Nanotechnology
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / methods*

Substances

  • Analgesics, Non-Narcotic
  • Amitriptyline
  • 5-Methoxytryptamine