• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 2012

Isotope dilution mass spectrometry (ID-MS) based on liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) was developed for the accurate determination of sorbic acid in tea-drink. An isotope analogue of sorbic acid, $^{13}C_2$-sorbic acid, was obtained by custom synthesis. MS was operated in the negative mode with selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode of $[M-H]^-$ ${\rightarrow}$ $[M-CO_2H]^-$ channel at m/z 111 ${\rightarrow}$ 67 for sorbic acid and at m/z 113 ${\rightarrow}$ 68 for its isotope analogue. Chromatographic separation was accomplished with a C18 column and an isocratic mobile phase of 55% of 50 mM ammonium acetate (pH 4.5) and 45% of methanol. Homogeneous reference materials were prepared for validation of this method, including repeatability and reproducibility tests, by fortifying tea-drink with sorbic acid in our laboratory. Repeatability and reproducibility studies showed that the ID-LC/MS method is a reliable and reproducible method which provides less than 3.8% of relative standard deviation (RSD) for the analysis of sorbic acid.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.524-530
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• 2010

Chloramphenicol is one of the most effective antibiotics for treatment of food-producing animals for typhoid fever. However, it has been reported that it caused severe side effects such as aplastic anemia in human, therefore the use of chloramphenicol for food-producing animal is prohibited by European Union and other countries. In this study, the analytical method using isotope dilution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (ID-LC/MS) was established for accurate determination of chloramphenicol in meat. Chloramphenicol was extracted with ethylacetate from porcine and solid phase extraction cartridge was used for enhancing the recovery. The residue of chloramphenicol in porcine was analyzed using the liquid chromatography mass spectrometer (LC/MS) interfaced with electrospray ionization source. Analysis was performed in negative mode with selected reaction mornitoring mode at m/z 321${\rightarrow}$257 of $[M-H]^-$ ${\rightarrow}$ $[M-H-(HCOCl)]^-$ and m/z 326 ${\rightarrow}$ 262 channels for its isotope. The established method was tested using fortified samples at the level of 0.2 1, 10, $25\;{\mu}g$/kg and analytical results agreed with the gravimetrically fortified values within their uncertainties. This method was validated by analyzing a certified reference material, BCR 445, from IRMM (Institute for Reference Materials and Measurement). Our measurement values agreed with the certified value within their uncertainties. The uncertainty of our measured value was much lower than that the certified value from IRMM.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.225-231
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• 2018

Benzoic acid, methyl paraben, and butyl paraben are preservatives that have been used in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food products. However, as their toxicities for human have been reported, many nations and organizations including Korea have established a regulation limit for thier usage of these preservatives in food products. The present study developed the isotope dilution liquid chromatography mass spectrometry method for accurate determination of three target preseratives in soysauce. In this study, the isotope dilution liquid chromatography mass spectrometry method was developed for accurate determination of three target preservatives in soy sauce. LC separation was optimized considering the pKa of benzoic acid which is lower than those of methyl and butyl parabens. A C18 column was used with 5 mM ammonium acetate and methanol as mobile phases. Mass spectrometry was operated in negative mode and selected reaction monitoring mode (SRM). Soy sauce sample was cleaned-up with C18 SPE cartridge for removing matrix inferences and color material. Optimized conditions and the method were validated with soy sauce reference materials for the analysis of food preservatives from Health Science Authority in Singapore. The measured values of benzoic acid, methyl and butyl paraben agreed well with reference values within their uncertainties.

• BMB Reports
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• v.42 no.7
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• pp.401-410
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• 2009

We have developed a targeted lipidomics approach that makes it possible to directly analyze chiral eicosanoid lipids generated in cellular systems. The eicosanoids, including prostaglandins (PGs), thromboxanes (TXs), leukotrienes (LTs) and alcohols (HETEs), have been implicated as potent lipid mediators of various biological processes. Enzymatic formations of eicosanoids are regioselective and enantioselective, whereas reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated formation proceeds with no stereo-selectivity. To distinguish between enzymatic and non-enzymatic pathways of eicosanoid formation, it is necessary to resolve enantiomeric forms as well as regioisomers. High sensitivity is also required to analyze the eicosanoid lipids that are usually present as trace amounts (pM level) in biological fluids. A discovery of liquid chromatography-electron capture atmospheric pressure chemical ionization/mass spectrometry (LC-ECAPCI/MS) allows us to couple normal phase chiral chromatography without loss of sensitivity. Analytical specificity was obtained by the use of collision-induced dissociation (CID) and tandem MS (MS/MS). With combination of stable isotope dilution methodology, complex mixtures of regioisomeric and enantiomeric eicosanoids have been resolved and quantified in biological samples with high sensitivity and specificity. Targeted chiral lipidomics profiles of bioactive eicosanoid lipids obtained from various cell systems and their biological implications have been discussed.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.502-509
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• 2008

An ID LC/MS (isotope dilution liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry) was used as a primary method for the quantitative analysis of cholesterol in human serum. The separation of cholesterol was carried out by Thermo ODS hypersil $C^{18}$ column. The mobile phase was 100% methanol, and flow rate was $0.3m{\ell}/min$. Cholesterol and cholesterol-$3,4-13C_2$ were monitored at m/z 369.4 and 371.3, which correspond to $[M-H_2O+H]^+$ respectively. In order to verify the measurement method, NIST SRM 909b was analyzed. The results agreed well with certified values within uncertainty. The four kinds of serum certified reference material were prepared and certified. The repeatabilities of measurement were ranged from 0.1 to 0.8% (RSD), which were relatively good. The reproducibility between independent measurement run was below 0.24% (RSD). The expanded uncertainty was about 1.43% within the 95% confidence interval.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.255-264
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• 2015

Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and acrylamide are unintended hazardous substances generated by heating or processing of foods and are known as carcinogenic and mutagenic agents by the animal experiments. A simple method was established for a rapid and accurate determination of 12 types of HCAs (IQ, MeIQ, Glu-P-1, Glu-P-2, MeIQx, Trp-P-1, Trp-P-2, PhIP, $A{\alpha}C$, $MeA{\alpha}C$, Harman and Norharman) and acrylamide in three food matrices (non-fat liquid, non-fat solid and fat solid) by isotope dilution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In every sample, a mixture of internal standards including $IQ-d_3$, $MeIQx-d_3$, $PhIP-d_3$, $Trp-P-2-^{13}C_2-^{15}N$ and $MeA{\alpha}C-d_3$ was spiked for quantification of HCAs and $^{13}C_3$-acrylamide was also spiked for the analysis of acrylamide. HCAs and acrylamide in sample were extracted with acetonitrile and water, respectively, and then two solid-phase extraction cartridges, ChemElut: HLB for HCAs and Accucat: HLB for acrylamide, were used for efficiently removing interferences such as pigment, lipid, polar, nonpolar and ionic compounds. Established method was validated in terms of recovery, accuracy, precision, limit of detection, limit of quantitation, and linearity. This method showed good precision (RSD < 20%), accuracy (71.8~119.1%) and recovery (66.0~118.9%). The detection limits were < 3.1 ng/g for all analytes. The correlation coefficients for all the HCAs and acrylamide were > 0.995, showing excellent linearity. These methods for the detection of HCAs and acrylamide by LC-MS/MS were applied to real samples and were successfully used for quantitative monitoring in the total diet study and this can be applied to risk assessment in various food matrices.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.53-58
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• 2017

Glycated hemoglobin ($HbA_{1c}$) has been commonly used to screen and diagnose for patients with diabetes mellitus. Here the accelerated procedure of microwave-assisted sample treatment from acid hydrolysis to enzyme digestion followed by isotope dilution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (ID-LC-MS/MS) was optimized and applied to measure $HbA_{1c}$ in an effort to speed up analysis time. First, two signature peptides of $HbA_{1c}$ and hemoglobin $A_0$ were certified with amino acid analysis by setting optimized acid hydrolysis conditions to $150^{\circ}C$, 1.5 h and $10{\mu}M$ sample concentration in 8 M hydrochloric acid. Consequently, the accurate certified peptides above were used as calibration standards to implement the proteolytic procedure with endoproteinase Glu-C at $37^{\circ}C$, 700 W for 6 h. Compared to the traditional method, the microwave heating not only shortened dramatically sample preparation time, but also afforded comparable recovery yields. The optimized protocol and analytical conditions in this study are suitable for a primary reference method of $HbA_{1c}$ quantification with full SI-traceability and other similar proteins in complex biological samples.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.271-277
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• 2005

Urea in blood has been measured as an effective marker for diagnosis of renal function. Urea which is e end-product of nitrogen containing metabolites such as proteins is filtered through glomeruli of kidneys and then excreted as urine. If the renal function is deteriorated, the urea concentration in blood will be increased, from which the healthiness of renal function is judged. In order to improve the confidence of diagnosis results, the results must keep traceability chain to certified reference materials, which was certified by primary reference method. In this study, we proposed isotope dilution-liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (ID-LC/MS) as a candidate primary method, in which $15^N_2$-urea is used as an internal reference material. The developed method is highly accurate in principle and is convenient as it does not require cumbersome derivatization. 0.1 mmol/L ammonium chloride was selected as a mobile phase for HPLC because it provided low interference in MS analysis of relatively low molecular weighted urea. HPLC and MS were connected with an electrospray ionization (ESI) interface of positive mode, which provided high sensitivity and reproducibility. The developed method was validated with internationally recognized reference materials, and we have obtained satisfactory results in an international ring trial. The expanded uncertainty calculated according to ISO guide was 1.8% at 95% confidence interval. The developed method is being used as a primary reference measurement method such as for certification of serum certified reference materials (CRMs).

• BMB Reports
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• v.43 no.11
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• pp.761-765
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• 2010

Salivary testosterone levels in Korean adults were quantitatively measured for the first time by liquid chromatography-electrospray-tandem mass spectrometry (LC ESI MS/MS). Salivary testosterone was separated on a multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) chromatogram within 7 min. The LC ESI MS/MS assay was validated over the linearity range of 0.01-2.00 ng/ml (r=0.99987) using testosterone-$d_3$ as an internal standard. The lower limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.01 ng/ml. The intra- and inter-assay precisions were 1.54% to 4.09% and 0.96% to 4.29%, respectively. The mean recovery was 93.32% (range 88.43-98.05%). The validated assay was then applied to measure the salivary testosterone levels of Korean adults. In men, the salivary testosterone level collected between 9：00-11：00 am was approximately 2.8 times higher than that in women (P < 0.0001). Salivary testosterone levels in both sexes negatively correlated with age. The present assay would also be useful in measuring salivary testosterone levels in clinical laboratories.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.460-466
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• 2015

An isotope dilution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was developed as a primary method for the quantitative analysis of cholesterol in infant formula. Cholesterol-d₄ was used as an internal standard and spiked into the infant formula sample. In order to release cholesterol out of cholesteryl ester, which is cholesterol bound to fatty acids in infant formula, saponification was carried out. Saponification conditions were optimized with heating temperature, reaction time and the concentration of KOH. The optimum conditions were as follows; heating temperature was 70 ℃, reaction time was 180 min and the concentration of KOH was 0.8 mL of 8 M KOH for about 0.1 g infant formula sample. Extraction of cholesterol out of sample solution was carried out with hexane uisng liquid-liquid extraction. Chromatographic analysis was carried out using Phenomenex Kinetex C₁₈ column. Mobile phase was 0.1% acetic acid in methanol/water (v/v, 99/1) and flow rate was 0.3 mL/min. Cholesterol and cholesterol-d₄ were monitored at mass transfer m/z 369/259 and 373/263 respectively. Reproducibility of the method was evaluated to be 0.23% of the measurement result. The expanded uncertainty of the measurement result of cholesterol in infant formula was approximately 1.9% at a 95% confidence level. NIST standard reference material having certified values of cholesterol in infant formula, was analyzed in order to verify this method. The ID-LC/MS/MS results were well agreed with the certified values of NIST SRM within the uncertainty.