Techniques For Sample Analysis

• US 20120205532A1
• Filed: 08/12/2011
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Waters Technologies Corporation (Waters Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Waters Technologies Corporation (Waters Corporation)
• Inventors: Mazza, Cecilia B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,507,844 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/282
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/08 using an enricher
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/7233 interfaced to liquid or supercritical fluid chromatograph interfaces in general for introducing or extracting samples to be analysed with specially adapted mass spectrometer, see H01J49/04
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/004 Combinations of spectrometers, tandem spectrometers, e.g. MS/MS, MSn

Abstract

Techniques are described for performing sample analysis. Liquid chromatographic separation of a sample is performed and an eluent is generated. Mass spectrometry on said eluent is performed to detect a compound where the compound may occur in trace amounts. The compound may have a concentration, for example, of approximately less than one part per trillion.

Claims

1. A method of performing sample analysis comprising:

performing liquid chromatographic separation of a sample and generating an eluent; and

performing mass spectrometry on said eluent to detect a compound, wherein the compound has a concentration of approximately less than one part per trillion.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed in connection with a food-related industry.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed in connection with an environmental-related industry.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sample is obtained from any of a solid, a liquid, a food, a solid food, a liquid food, water, sludge, soil, fish tissue, animal tissue, a plant, a vegetable, a fruit, milk, honey, juice, and bird tissue.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sample is obtained from any of drinking water, surface water, ground water, and wastewater.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising concentrating the sample by performing solid phase extraction prior to said liquid chromatographic separation.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said solid phase extraction is performed using a cartridge.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one other sample processing step is performed prior to said solid phase extraction.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the compound is any of a pharmaceutical, personal care product, endocrine disruptor, drug, and pesticide.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the compound is any of cimetedine, ranitidine, trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, 10-hydroxy-amitriptyline, promethazine, paroxetine, alprazolam, amitriptyline, benztropine, norfluoxetine, fluoxetine, desmethylsertraline, sertraline, albuterol, atenolol, clonidine, oxycodone, amphetamine, hydrocodone, triamterene, metoprolol, enalipril, propanolol, desmethyldiltiazem, diltiazem, norverapamil, verapamil, propoxyphene, amlodipine, acetaminophen, prednisone, prednisolone, hydrocortisone, carbamazepine, betamethasone, methylprednisolone, norethindrone, testosterone, valsartan, fluocinonide, atrovastatin, fluticasone, progesterone, simvastatin, theophylline, hydrochiorothiazide, 2-hydroxy-ibuprofen, furosemide, warfarin, glipizide, ibuprofen, gemfibrozil. glyburide, chlorpheniramine, tripolidine, dextromethorphan, clomitrazole, propranolol, erythromycin, terbinafine, azithromycin, miconazole, tramadol, trimethoprim, cocaine, codeine, diphenihydramine, amphetamine, tetracycline, oxytetracycline, sulfanilamide, sulfathiazole, lincomycin, cefatoxime, carbadox, ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, penicillin G, oxacillin, naproxen, triclosan, and atrazine.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein mass spectrometry is performed by a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer.

12. A system for performing sample analysis comprising:

a liquid chromatograph that perform chromatographic separation of a sample and generates an eluent; and

a mass spectrometer that analyzes said eluent to detect a compound, wherein the compound has a concentration of approximately less than one part per trillion.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the compound is any of a pharmaceutical, personal care product, endocrine disruptor, drug, and pesticide.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the compound is any of cimetedine, ranitidine, trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, 10-hydroxy-amitriptyline, promethazine, paroxetine, alprazolam, amitriptyline, benztropine, norfluoxetine, fluoxetine, desmethylsertraline, sertraline, albuterol, atenolol, clonidine, oxycodone, amphetamine, hydrocodone, triamterene, metoprolol, enalipril, propanolol, desmethyldiltiazem, diltiazem, norverapamil, verapamil, propoxyphene, amlodipine, acetaminophen, prednisone, prednisolone, hydrocortisone, carbamazepine, betamethasone, methylprednisolone, norethindrone, testosterone, valsartan, fluocinonide, atrovastatin, fluticasone, progesterone, simvastatin, theophylline, hydrochiorothiazide, 2-hydroxy-ibuprofen, furosemide, warfarin, glipizide, ibuprofen, gemfibrozil. glyburide, chlorpheniramine, tripolidine, dextromethorphan, clomitrazole, propranolol, erythromycin, terbinafine, azithromycin, miconazole, tramadol, trimethoprim, cocaine, codeine, diphenihydramine, amphetamine, tetracycline, oxytetracycline, sulfanilamide, sulfathiazole, lincomycin, cefatoxime, carbadox, ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, penicillin G, oxacillin, naproxen, triclosan, and atrazine.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the sample is obtained from any of a solid, a liquid, a food, a solid food, a liquid food, water, sludge, soil, fish tissue, animal tissue, a plant, a vegetable, a fruit, milk, honey, juice, and bird tissue.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the sample is obtained from any of drinking water, surface water, ground water, and wastewater.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the sample is concentrated by performing solid phase extraction prior to processing by said liquid chromatograph.

18. A method of performing sample analysis comprising:

performing processing of a source sample, said processing including performing solid phase extraction to obtain a concentrated liquid sample;

performing liquid chromatographic separation of concentrated liquid sample and generating an eluent; and

performing tandem mass spectral analysis of said eluent to detect a compound, wherein the compound has a concentration of approximately less than or equal to one part per trillion.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the compound is any of a pharmaceutical, personal care product, endocrine disruptor, drug, herbicide, and pesticide.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the compound is any of cimetedine, ranitidine, trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, 10-hydroxy-amitriptyline, promethazine, paroxetine, alprazolam, amitriptyline, benztropine, norfluoxetine, fluoxetine, desmethylsertraline, sertraline, albuterol, atenolol, clonidine, oxycodone, amphetamine, hydrocodone, triamterene, metoprolol, enalipril, propanolol, desmethyldiltiazem, diltiazem, norverapamil, verapamil, propoxyphene, amlodipine, acetaminophen, prednisone, prednisolone, hydrocortisone, carbamazepine, betamethasone, methylprednisolone, norethindrone, testosterone, valsartan, fluocinonide, atrovastatin, fluticasone, progesterone, simvastatin, theophylline, hydrochiorothiazide, 2-hydroxy-ibuprofen, furosemide, warfarin, glipizide, ibuprofen, gemfibrozil. glyburide, chlorpheniramine, tripolidine, dextromethorphan, clomitrazole, propranolol, erythromycin, terbinafine, azithromycin, miconazole, tramadol, trimethoprim, cocaine, codeine, diphenihydramine, amphetamine, tetracycline, oxytetracycline, sulfanilamide, sulfathiazole, lincomycin, cefatoxime, carbadox, ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, penicillin G, oxacillin, naproxen, triclosan, and atrazine.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the source sample is any of a solid, a liquid, a food, a solid food, a liquid food, water, sludge, soil, fish tissue, animal tissue, a plant, a vegetable, a fruit, milk, honey, juice, and bird tissue.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the source sample is any of drinking water, surface water, ground water, and wastewater.

23. A method of performing sample analysis comprising:

performing processing of a source sample, said processing including performing solid phase extraction to obtain a concentrated liquid sample, said source sample being other than a water sample;

performing liquid chromatographic separation of said concentrated liquid sample and generating an eluent; and

performing tandem mass spectral analysis of said eluent to detect a compound, wherein the compound has a concentration of approximately less than ten parts per trillion.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the concentration is approximately within the range of two to ten parts per trillion.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the method is performed in connection with a food-related industry.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the method is performed in connection with an environmental-related industry.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the compound is any of a metabolite, natural product, and organic compound.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the source sample includes a plurality of compounds including said compound, and wherein each of the plurality of compounds is any of a metabolite, natural product, and organic compound detected by said performing tandem mass spectral analysis, each of said plurality of compounds having a concentration of approximately less than or equal to one part per trillion.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the source sample includes a plurality of compounds each detected by performing said tandem mass spectral analysis, each of said plurality of compounds having a concentration of approximately less than or equal to one part per trillion.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein at least one of the plurality of compounds is any of cimetedine, ranitidine, trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, 10-hydroxy-amitriptyline, promethazine, paroxetine, alprazolam, amitriptyline, benztropine, norfluoxetine, fluoxetine, desmethylsertraline, sertraline, albuterol, atenolol, clonidine, oxycodone, amphetamine, hydrocodone, triamterene, metoprolol, enalipril, propanolol, desmethyldiltiazem, diltiazem, norverapamil, verapamil, propoxyphene, amlodipine, acetaminophen, prednisone, prednisolone, hydrocortisone, carbamazepine, betamethasone, methylprednisolone, norethindrone, testosterone, valsartan, fluocinonide, atrovastatin, fluticasone, progesterone, simvastatin, theophylline, hydrochiorothiazide, 2-hydroxy-ibuprofen, furosemide, warfarin, glipizide, ibuprofen, gemfibrozil. glyburide, chlorpheniramine, tripolidine, dextromethorphan, clomitrazole, propranolol, erythromycin, terbinafine, azithromycin, miconazole, tramadol, trimethoprim, cocaine, codeine, diphenihydramine, amphetamine, tetracycline, oxytetracycline, sulfanilamide, sulfathiazole, lincomycin, cefatoxime, carbadox, ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, penicillin G, oxacillin, naproxen, triclosan, and atrazine.