Flexible automated approach for quantitative liquid handling of complex biological samples

Anal Chem. 2007 Nov 1;79(21):8010-5. doi: 10.1021/ac070618s. Epub 2007 Sep 25.

Abstract

A fully automated protein precipitation technique for biological sample preparation has been developed for the quantitation of drugs in various biological matrixes. All liquid handling during sample preparation was automated using a Hamilton MicroLab Star Robotic workstation, which included the preparation of standards and controls from a Watson laboratory information management system generated work list, shaking of 96-well plates, and vacuum application. Processing time is less than 30 s per sample or approximately 45 min per 96-well plate, which is then immediately ready for injection onto an LC-MS/MS system. An overview of the process workflow is discussed, including the software development. Validation data are also provided, including specific liquid class data as well as comparative data of automated vs manual preparation using both quality controls and actual sample data. The efficiencies gained from this automated approach are described.

MeSH terms

  • 2-Propanol / analysis
  • Acetonitriles / analysis
  • Animals
  • Automation
  • Chromatography, Liquid / methods
  • Chromatography, Liquid / standards
  • Dimethyl Sulfoxide / analysis
  • Plasma / chemistry
  • Quality Control
  • Rats
  • Reference Standards
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Software
  • Specimen Handling
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry / methods*
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry / standards
  • Water / analysis

Substances

  • Acetonitriles
  • Water
  • 2-Propanol
  • Dimethyl Sulfoxide
  • acetonitrile