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Detection and quantitation of a pheomelanin component in melanin pigments using pyrolysis–gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry system with multiple reaction monitoring mode
Author(s) -
DzierżęgaLęcznar Anna,
Kurkiewicz Slawomir,
Stępień Krystyna
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of mass spectrometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.475
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9888
pISSN - 1076-5174
DOI - 10.1002/jms.2957
Subject(s) - chemistry , melanin , pigment , chromatography , mass spectrometry , gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry , tandem mass spectrometry , pyrolysis , selected reaction monitoring , tandem , biochemistry , organic chemistry , materials science , composite material
Here, we describe the reliable method for the detection and quantitation of a pheomelanin component in melanin pigments. Synthetic melanins with various contents of pheomelanin‐type structural units were thermally degraded, and the multiple reaction monitoring mode was applied to detect the pheomelanin markers in the pyrolysates by GC/MS/MS. The method allowed the specific detection and quantitation of a pheomelanin component in melanin with the incorporation of pheomelanin‐type units as low as 0.05%. Considering highly universal character of the pheomelanin markers, the method could be applied for structural studies of natural melanin pigments being mixtures of eumelanin and pheomelanin. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.