Premium
Determination of melatonin in blood plasma, using capillary gas chromatography and electron impact medium–resolution mass spectrometry
Author(s) -
Lee C. R.,
Esnaud H.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
biomedical and environmental mass spectrometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.475
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9888
pISSN - 0887-6134
DOI - 10.1002/bms.1200150503
Subject(s) - mass spectrometry , chromatography , electron ionization , chemistry , resolution (logic) , gas chromatography , analytical chemistry (journal) , plasma , detection limit , direct electron ionization liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry interface , capillary action , extraction (chemistry) , ionization , electron capture , gas chromatography–mass spectrometry , chemical ionization , materials science , ion , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , composite material , artificial intelligence , computer science
Abstract Determination of the low concentrations (<10–100 pg ml −1 ) of melatonin in blood plasma by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry has previously required the use of negative ionization (electron capture) mass spectrometry, a technique particularly delicate to set up. We show that a general‐purpose medium‐resolution instrument gives adequate sensitivity in electron impact mode, when used with a capillary gas chromatographic column‐switching device. A straightforward extraction procedure gives good specificity, and the limit of useful measurement is better than 10 pg per 1 ml sample.