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Clinical toxicology screening: expanding the capability of highresolution mass spectrometry<\/h1>Featured Articles<\/a> <\/span><\/span><\/header>\n<\/div><\/section>
\nHigh-resolution mass spectrometry (MS) is a powerful analytical tool for clinical and forensic toxicology. It is capable of screening and confirming the presence of drugs and toxic compounds in various biological matrices. Using high-resolution MS\/MS libraries helps to increase reporting confidence, verifies compound identification and reduces reporting of false-positive results.<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
Background<\/strong><\/p>\n
Clinical and forensic toxicology is a highly complex and challenging application domain demanding technologies that can detect a range of illicit drugs, adulterants and therapeutic medications that require screening and identification for medical management. The challenge is further aggravated by the need to accurately identify a compound and negate the reporting of false-positive and false-negative results. Liquid chromatography\u2013tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS\/MS) has been applied successfully to specific, targeted methods in routine therapeutic drug monitoring, such as immuno-suppressants, vitamin analysis, steroids, biogenic amines, psychoactive drugs and synthetic cannabinoids using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) with triple-quadrupole mass spectrometers. These systems are robust detection technologies and generate high sensitivity and specificity for diverse target panels.<\/p>\n
The challenge is to expand target panels particularly with novel psychoactive substances and synthetic illicit substances and to develop methods that can be used routinely for both targeted and non-targeted screening. To meet this need, high-resolution MS is increasingly being applied to routine clinical and forensic toxicology analysis for quanti-fication (using full scan or highresolution MRM) and identification purposes (library confirmation with MS\/MS mass fragment spectrum with data-dependent or data-independent acquisitions) in a single analysis.<\/p>\n
Application to clinical and forensic toxicology for drugs of abuse in biological samples<\/h3>\nSample preparation<\/strong><\/p>\n
Plasma, serum or blood samples are extracted with a QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) method [1]. Where possible deuterated internal standards should be included.<\/p>\n
LC separation<\/strong><\/p>\n
A validated biphenyl-based separation was developed to ensure that both isobaric targets are chromatographically resolved and the method can be used for a diverse chemical toxicology space with a cycle time of 17 minutes.<\/p>\n
MS detection<\/strong><\/p>\n
The method acquired a single time-of-flight (TOF) MS scan (m\/z 100\u22121000) followed by DIA-MS\/MS mass scans (m\/z 40\u20131000) in positive ion; each MS\/MS mass scan had a precursor isolation width of 20 Da and a collision energy spread of 5\u221255 V, resulting in a cycle time of approximately 1 second (QTOF LCMS-9030, Shimadzu).<\/p>\n
Reporting results with high-resolution LC-MS\/MS<\/strong><\/p>\n
Compounds can be identified (LabSolutions Insight software, Shimadzu) with high reporting confidence by combining accurate mass, isotopic distribution, retention time (Rt) and accurate mass fragment spectrum data. A compound can be reported with high
\nconfidence if:<\/p>\n
\n- the target has been detected within a mass error tolerance (typically \u00b1 5 ppm);<\/li>\n
- an isotope distribution has a close match with the theoretical distribution;<\/li>\n
- an Rt is within a set user tolerance (for example 0.2 minutes); and<\/li>\n
- a high similarity score with a curated MS\/MS mass fragment spectrum library is found.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The advantage of using a curated MS\/MS mass fragment spectrum library<\/h3>\nThe Insight Forensic Toxicology Database is a repository of over 1000 compounds. Each mass fragment spectrum has been acquired with authentic reference material with known retention times (library data is acquired with a targeted MS\/MS and a precursor ion isolation width of 1 Da), and each fragment ion is corrected to a theoretical mass assignment with the Insight Assign application. Using a generic LC method and a single MS and DIA-MS\/MS method generates high reporting confidence as a compound identification is confirmed with a limited tolerance on the retention time variation and a high similarity score on the MS\/MS library search (Fig. 1). Together with precursor ion accurate mass and isotopic distribution score data, even closely eluting isomers can be reported positively. As the forensic toxicology MS\/MS database is matched to the data acquisition in terms of LC retention time and collision energy spread, the library search algorithm similarity score can be a powerful tool to markedly increase reporting confidence and reduce the reporting of false-positive results in routine clinical and forensic toxicology workflows.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>
\n
<\/span><\/span><\/div>
\nThe author<\/strong>
\nStephane Moreau MSc
\nShimadzu Europa GmbH, 47269 Duisburg, Germany
\nE-mail: shimadzu@shimadzu.eu<\/p>\n
References<\/strong>
\n1. Dulaurent S, El Balkhi S, Poncelet L, Gaulier JM, Marquet P, Saint-Marcoux F.
\nQuEChERS sample preparation prior to LC-MS\/MS determination of opiates,
\namphetamines, and cocaine metabolites in whole blood. Anal and Bioanal
\nChem 2016; 408(5): 1467\u20131474.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>
\n
High-resolution mass spectrometry (MS) is a powerful analytical tool for clinical and forensic toxicology. It is capable of screening and confirming the presence of drugs and toxic compounds in various biological matrices. Using high-resolution MS\/MS libraries helps to increase reporting confidence, verifies compound identification and reduces reporting of false-positive results.<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
Background<\/strong><\/p>\n
Clinical and forensic toxicology is a highly complex and challenging application domain demanding technologies that can detect a range of illicit drugs, adulterants and therapeutic medications that require screening and identification for medical management. The challenge is further aggravated by the need to accurately identify a compound and negate the reporting of false-positive and false-negative results. Liquid chromatography\u2013tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS\/MS) has been applied successfully to specific, targeted methods in routine therapeutic drug monitoring, such as immuno-suppressants, vitamin analysis, steroids, biogenic amines, psychoactive drugs and synthetic cannabinoids using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) with triple-quadrupole mass spectrometers. These systems are robust detection technologies and generate high sensitivity and specificity for diverse target panels.<\/p>\n
The challenge is to expand target panels particularly with novel psychoactive substances and synthetic illicit substances and to develop methods that can be used routinely for both targeted and non-targeted screening. To meet this need, high-resolution MS is increasingly being applied to routine clinical and forensic toxicology analysis for quanti-fication (using full scan or highresolution MRM) and identification purposes (library confirmation with MS\/MS mass fragment spectrum with data-dependent or data-independent acquisitions) in a single analysis.<\/p>\n
Application to clinical and forensic toxicology for drugs of abuse in biological samples<\/h3>\nSample preparation<\/strong><\/p>\n
Plasma, serum or blood samples are extracted with a QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) method [1]. Where possible deuterated internal standards should be included.<\/p>\n
LC separation<\/strong><\/p>\n
A validated biphenyl-based separation was developed to ensure that both isobaric targets are chromatographically resolved and the method can be used for a diverse chemical toxicology space with a cycle time of 17 minutes.<\/p>\n
MS detection<\/strong><\/p>\n
The method acquired a single time-of-flight (TOF) MS scan (m\/z 100\u22121000) followed by DIA-MS\/MS mass scans (m\/z 40\u20131000) in positive ion; each MS\/MS mass scan had a precursor isolation width of 20 Da and a collision energy spread of 5\u221255 V, resulting in a cycle time of approximately 1 second (QTOF LCMS-9030, Shimadzu).<\/p>\n
Reporting results with high-resolution LC-MS\/MS<\/strong><\/p>\n
Compounds can be identified (LabSolutions Insight software, Shimadzu) with high reporting confidence by combining accurate mass, isotopic distribution, retention time (Rt) and accurate mass fragment spectrum data. A compound can be reported with high
\nconfidence if:<\/p>\n
\n- the target has been detected within a mass error tolerance (typically \u00b1 5 ppm);<\/li>\n
- an isotope distribution has a close match with the theoretical distribution;<\/li>\n
- an Rt is within a set user tolerance (for example 0.2 minutes); and<\/li>\n
- a high similarity score with a curated MS\/MS mass fragment spectrum library is found.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The advantage of using a curated MS\/MS mass fragment spectrum library<\/h3>\nThe Insight Forensic Toxicology Database is a repository of over 1000 compounds. Each mass fragment spectrum has been acquired with authentic reference material with known retention times (library data is acquired with a targeted MS\/MS and a precursor ion isolation width of 1 Da), and each fragment ion is corrected to a theoretical mass assignment with the Insight Assign application. Using a generic LC method and a single MS and DIA-MS\/MS method generates high reporting confidence as a compound identification is confirmed with a limited tolerance on the retention time variation and a high similarity score on the MS\/MS library search (Fig. 1). Together with precursor ion accurate mass and isotopic distribution score data, even closely eluting isomers can be reported positively. As the forensic toxicology MS\/MS database is matched to the data acquisition in terms of LC retention time and collision energy spread, the library search algorithm similarity score can be a powerful tool to markedly increase reporting confidence and reduce the reporting of false-positive results in routine clinical and forensic toxicology workflows.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>
\n
<\/span><\/span><\/div>
\nThe author<\/strong>
\nStephane Moreau MSc
\nShimadzu Europa GmbH, 47269 Duisburg, Germany
\nE-mail: shimadzu@shimadzu.eu<\/p>\n
References<\/strong>
\n1. Dulaurent S, El Balkhi S, Poncelet L, Gaulier JM, Marquet P, Saint-Marcoux F.
\nQuEChERS sample preparation prior to LC-MS\/MS determination of opiates,
\namphetamines, and cocaine metabolites in whole blood. Anal and Bioanal
\nChem 2016; 408(5): 1467\u20131474.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>
\n
\nconfidence if:<\/p>\n
The advantage of using a curated MS\/MS mass fragment spectrum library<\/h3>\nThe Insight Forensic Toxicology Database is a repository of over 1000 compounds. Each mass fragment spectrum has been acquired with authentic reference material with known retention times (library data is acquired with a targeted MS\/MS and a precursor ion isolation width of 1 Da), and each fragment ion is corrected to a theoretical mass assignment with the Insight Assign application. Using a generic LC method and a single MS and DIA-MS\/MS method generates high reporting confidence as a compound identification is confirmed with a limited tolerance on the retention time variation and a high similarity score on the MS\/MS library search (Fig. 1). Together with precursor ion accurate mass and isotopic distribution score data, even closely eluting isomers can be reported positively. As the forensic toxicology MS\/MS database is matched to the data acquisition in terms of LC retention time and collision energy spread, the library search algorithm similarity score can be a powerful tool to markedly increase reporting confidence and reduce the reporting of false-positive results in routine clinical and forensic toxicology workflows.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>
\n
<\/span><\/span><\/div>
\nThe author<\/strong>
\nStephane Moreau MSc
\nShimadzu Europa GmbH, 47269 Duisburg, Germany
\nE-mail: shimadzu@shimadzu.eu<\/p>\n
References<\/strong>
\n1. Dulaurent S, El Balkhi S, Poncelet L, Gaulier JM, Marquet P, Saint-Marcoux F.
\nQuEChERS sample preparation prior to LC-MS\/MS determination of opiates,
\namphetamines, and cocaine metabolites in whole blood. Anal and Bioanal
\nChem 2016; 408(5): 1467\u20131474.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>
\n
\n
\n
The author<\/strong>
\nStephane Moreau MSc
\nShimadzu Europa GmbH, 47269 Duisburg, Germany
\nE-mail: shimadzu@shimadzu.eu<\/p>\n
References<\/strong>
\n1. Dulaurent S, El Balkhi S, Poncelet L, Gaulier JM, Marquet P, Saint-Marcoux F.
\nQuEChERS sample preparation prior to LC-MS\/MS determination of opiates,
\namphetamines, and cocaine metabolites in whole blood. Anal and Bioanal
\nChem 2016; 408(5): 1467\u20131474.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>
\n