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Analysis of clenbuterol in human plasma using liquid chromatography/atmospheric‐pressure chemical‐ionization mass spectrometry
Author(s) -
Doerge Daniel R.,
Bajic Steve,
Lowes Steve
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
rapid communications in mass spectrometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.528
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1097-0231
pISSN - 0951-4198
DOI - 10.1002/rcm.1290070612
Subject(s) - chemistry , atmospheric pressure chemical ionization , chromatography , chemical ionization , mass spectrometry , direct electron ionization liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry interface , clenbuterol , atmospheric pressure , human plasma , liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry , analytical chemistry (journal) , ionization , organic chemistry , ion , oceanography , geology
Clenbuterol is a β‐agonist drug used illegally as a growth stimulant in meat‐producing animals and human athletes. The analysis of clenbuterol in spiked human plasma was performed using on‐line liquid chromatography/atmospheric‐pressure chemical‐ionization mass spectrometry (LC/APCI‐MS) using a conventional bore LC column (flow rate = 1.0 mL/min). At low sampling cone voltages, the mass spectrum was predominantly the [M + H] + ion but diagnostic fragment ions were formed upon incremental increases in sampling cone voltage. The detection limit (signal‐to‐noise ratio of 3) using selected‐ion monitoring of the [M + H] + ion was 0.1 ng on‐column (l0 ppb). This is a 50‐fold better sensitivity of detection than that previously reported for an on‐line thermospray LC/MS method. The extraction procedures were not optimized for maximum sensitivity and the lack of interferences suggests that much lower detection limits for clenbuterol in plasma are attainable.