Determination of ketosteroid hormones in meat by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and derivatization chemistry

Recent Advances in the Determination of Veterinary Drug Residues in Food

The presence of drug residues in food products has become a growing concern because of the adverse health risks and regulatory implications. Drug residues in food refer to the presence of pharmaceutical compounds or their metabolites in products such as meat, fish, eggs, poultry and ready-to-eat foods, which are intended for human consumption. These residues can come from the use of drugs in the field of veterinary medicine, such as antibiotics, antiparasitic agents, growth promoters and other veterinary drugs given to livestock and aquaculture with the aim of providing them as prophylaxis, therapy and for promoting growth. Various analytical techniques are used for this purpose to control the maximum residue limit. Compliance with the maximum residue limit is very important for food manufacturers according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or European Union (EU) regulations. Effective monitoring and control of drug residues in food requires continuous advances in analytical techniques. Few studies have been reviewed on sample extraction and preparation techniques as well as challenges and future directions for the determination of veterinary drug residues in food. This current review focuses on the overview of regulations, classifications and types of food, as well as the latest analytical methods that have been used in recent years (2020-2023) for the determination of drug residues in food so that appropriate methods and accurate results can be used. The results show that chromatography is still a widely used technique for the determination of drug residue in food. Other approaches have been developed including immunoassay, biosensors, electrophoresis and molecular-based methods. This review provides a new development method that has been used to control veterinary drug residue limit in food.

A Simple, Efficient, Eco-Friendly Sample Preparation Procedure for the Simultaneous Determination of Hormones in Meat and Fish Products by Gas Chromatography—Mass Spectrometry

Food safety can be severely compromised by the presence of chemical contaminants. This has raised a pressing need to develop efficient analytical methods for their determination at very low levels in complex food matrices. In this manuscript, we developed a simple, sensitive, fast, green analytical method for the determination of thirteen natural and synthetic hormones from different families including progestogens, estrogens and androgens in meat and fish products. The method involves direct extraction with a (9:1) acetonitrile–water mixture and subsequent purification of the extract by semi-automated solid-phase extraction on a sorbent column (hydrophilic–lipophilic copolymer of N-vinylpyrrolidone and divinylbenzene). This treatment enriches samples with the target compounds while removing proteins, lipids and other potential interferences from their matrix for the accurate determination of the analytes by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, all within 15 min. The proposed method exhibits good linearity (r ≥ 0.996), low limits of detection (0.4–15 ng/kg), acceptable recoveries (90–105%) and relative standard deviations (≤7%); in addition, it is scarcely subject to matrix effects (1–20%). The method was successfully used to determine natural and synthetic hormones in meat and fish products from Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Greece, Norway, Morocco and the USA. The analytes were found at especially high levels (30–1900 ng/kg) in mussels, beef and pork.

Beta-Cyclodextrin-Decorated Magnetic Activated Carbon as a Sorbent for Extraction and Enrichment of Steroid Hormones (Estrone, β-Estradiol, Hydrocortisone and Progesterone) for Liquid Chromatographic Analysis

A β-cyclodextrin-decorated magnetic activated carbon adsorbent was prepared and characterized using various analytical techniques (X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy–electron diffraction spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM)), and the adsorbent was used in the development of a magnetic solid-phase microextraction (MSPE) method for the preconcentration of estrone, β-estradiol, hydrocortisone and progesterone in wastewater and river water samples. This method was optimized using the central composite design in order to determine the experimental parameters affecting the extraction procedure. The quantification of hormones was achieved using high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with a photodiode array detector (HPLC-DAD). Under optimum conditions, the linearity ranged from 0.04 to 300 µg L⁻¹ with a correlation of determinations of 0.9969–0.9991. The limits of detection and quantification were between 0.01–0.03 and 0.033–0.1 µg L⁻¹, with intraday and interday precisions at 1.1–3.4 and 3.2–4.2. The equilibrium data were best described by the Langmuir isotherm model, and high adsorption capacities (217–294 mg g⁻¹) were obtained. The developed procedure demonstrated high potential as an effective technique for use in wastewater samples without significant interferences, and the adsorbent could be reused up to eight times.

Progress and Challenges in Quantifying Carbonyl-Metabolomic Phenomes with LC-MS/MS

Carbonyl-containing metabolites widely exist in biological samples and have important physiological functions. Thus, accurate and sensitive quantitative analysis of carbonyl-containing metabolites is crucial to provide insight into metabolic pathways as well as disease mechanisms. Although reversed phase liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (RPLC-ESI-MS) is widely used due to the powerful separation capability of RPLC and high specificity and sensitivity of MS, but it is often challenging to directly analyze carbonyl-containing metabolites using RPLC-ESI-MS due to the poor ionization efficiency of neutral carbonyl groups in ESI. Modification of carbonyl-containing metabolites by a chemical derivatization strategy can overcome the obstacle of sensitivity; however, it is insufficient to achieve accurate quantification due to instrument drift and matrix effects. The emergence of stable isotope-coded derivatization (ICD) provides a good solution to the problems encountered above. Thus, LC-MS methods that utilize ICD have been applied in metabolomics including quantitative targeted analysis and untargeted profiling analysis. In addition, ICD makes multiplex or multichannel submetabolome analysis possible, which not only reduces instrument running time but also avoids the variation of MS response. In this review, representative derivatization reagents and typical applications in absolute quantification and submetabolome profiling are discussed to highlight the superiority of the ICD strategy for detection of carbonyl-containing metabolites.

Recent Advances in Solid-Phase Extraction (SPE) Based on Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) for Analysis of Hormones

Steroid hormones are active substances that are necessary in the normal functioning of all physiological activities in the body, such as sexual characteristics, metabolism, and mood control. They are also widely used as exogenous chemicals in medical and pharmaceutical applications as treatments and at times growth promoters in animal farming. The vast application of steroid hormones has resulted in them being found in different matrices, such as food, environmental, and biological samples. The presence of hormones in such matrices means that they can easily come into contact with humans and animals as exogenous compounds, resulting in abnormal concentrations that can lead to endocrine disruption. This makes their determination in different matrices a vital part of pollutant management and control. Although advances in analytical instruments are constant, it has been determined that these instruments still require some sample preparation steps to be able to determine the occurrence of pollutants in the complex matrices in which they occur. Advances are still being made in sample preparation to ensure easier, selective, and sensitive analysis of complex matrices. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have been termed as advanced solid-phase (SPE) materials for the selective extraction and preconcentration of hormones in complex matrices. This review explores the preparation and application of MIPs for the determination of steroid hormones in different sample types.

Complexation of As(III) by phosphonate ligands in aqueous fluids: Thermodynamic behavior, chemical binding forms and sequestering abilities

In recent years, the contamination of water by arsenic reached alarming levels in many countries of the world, attracting the interest of many researchers engaged in testing methodologies able to remove this harmful pollutant. An important aspect that must be taken into consideration is the possibility to find arsenic in different chemical forms which could require different approaches for its removal. At this aim, a speciation analysis appears to be crucial for better understanding the behavior of arsenic species in aqueous solutions, especially in presence of compounds with marked chelating properties. Phosphonates can be identified as good sequestering agents and, at this purpose, this manuscript intends to investigate the interaction of As(III) with three phosphonic acids derived from nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) by replacements of one (N-(Phosphonomethyl) iminodiacetic acid, NTAP), two (N,N-Bis-(phosphonomethyl) glycine, NTA2P) and three (Nitrilotri(methylphosphonic acid), NTA3P) carboxylic groups with the same number of phosphonate groups. An in-depth potentiometric and calorimetric investigation allowed to determine speciation models featured by simple ML, MLH_i and ML(OH) species. A complete thermodynamic characterization of the systems is reported together with the definition of coordination mode by mass spectrometry measurements. On the light of the speciation models, the possibility of using these ligands in arsenic removal techniques was assessed by determining the pL_0.5 (the concentration of ligand able to remove the 50% of metal ion present in trace). All ligands show a good sequestering ability, in particular under the conditions of fresh water, following the trend NTA3P > NTA2P > NTAP.

2,3-Diaminopropanols Obtained from d-Serine as Intermediates in the Synthesis of Protected 2,3-l-Diaminopropanoic Acid (l-Dap) Methyl Esters

A synthetic strategy for the preparation of two orthogonally protected methyl esters of the non-proteinogenic amino acid 2,3-l-diaminopropanoic acid (l-Dap) was developed. In these structures, the base-labile protecting group 9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (Fmoc) was paired to the p-toluensulfonyl (tosyl, Ts) or acid-labile tert-butyloxycarbonyl (Boc) moieties. The synthetic approach to protected l-Dap methyl esters uses appropriately masked 2,3-diaminopropanols, which are obtained via reductive amination of an aldehyde prepared from the commercial amino acid N^α-Fmoc-O-tert-butyl-d-serine, used as the starting material. Reductive amination is carried out with primary amines and sulfonamides, and the process is assisted by the Lewis acid Ti(OⁱPr)₄. The required carboxyl group is installed by oxidizing the alcoholic function of 2,3-diaminopropanols bearing the tosyl or benzyl protecting group on the 3-NH₂ site. The procedure can easily be applied using the crude product obtained after each step, minimizing the need for chromatographic purifications. Chirality of the carbon atom of the starting d-serine template is preserved throughout all synthetic steps.

MS-based proteomic analysis of cardiac response to hypoxia in the goldfish (Carassius auratus)

The exceptional hypoxia tolerance of the goldfish heart may be achieved through the activation of an alternative mechanism recruiting the first product of the anaerobic glycolysis (i.e. piruvate). This hypothesis led to design a classical mass spectrometry based proteomic study to identify in the goldfish cardiac proteins that may be associated with maintaining heart function under normoxia and hypoxia. A selective protein solubilization, SDS PAGE, trypsin digestion and MALDI MS/MS analysis allowed the identification of the 12 most stable hypoxia-regulated proteins. Among these proteins, five are enzymes catalyzing reversible steps of the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis network. Protein composition reveals the presence of fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase B as a specific hypoxia-regulated protein. This work indicated that the key enzyme of reversible steps of the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis network is fructose-1,6-bisphosphate, aldolase B, suggesting a role of gluconeogenesis in the mechanisms involved in the goldfish heart response to hypoxia.

High-throughput determination of vitamin E in extra virgin olive oil by paper spray tandem mass spectrometry

Extra virgin olive oil provides an important intake of α-tocopherol, which is part of vitamin E complex. A fast analytical method for its quantification, based on paper spray mass spectrometry, has been developed. The methodology possesses the ability to record mass spectra without sample preparation or preseparation steps. The experiments were performed in Multiple Reaction Monitoring scan mode; in particular, the transitions m/z 429 → m/z 163 for α-tocopherol and m/z 435 → m/z 169 for the labeled internal standard were monitored, in order to obtain the greatest specificity and the best sensitivity. The accuracy of the method was tested analyzing spiked samples prepared at concentrations within the dynamic range of the calibration curve, which returned values near 100%. Furthermore, good values of LOQ and LOD were obtained, demonstrating that this approach can be applied for a rapid screening of tocopherols in different vegetable oils. The results were compared with analyses performed by traditional chromatographic methods. Graphical abstract.

Molecular species fingerprinting and quantitative analysis of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) for quality control by MALDI mass spectrometry

Herein we describe a rapid, simple, and reliable method for the quantitative analysis and molecular species fingerprinting of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) by direct MS and MS/MS analysis. Experimentally, powdered saffron was subjected to a brief treatment with a 0.3% TFA water/acetonitrile solution, and the resulting mixture was directly placed on the MALDI plate for analysis. This approach allowed the detection of the commonly observed crocins C-1-C-6 and flavonols, together with the identification of the unknown highly glycosylated crocins C-7, C-8 and C-9, and carotenoid-derived metabolites. The strategy endorsed the simultaneous detection and characterization of saffron and adulterant markers using crude extracts of the adulterant itself and synthetic sets of adulterated authentic saffron samples. The implementation of the strategy was to measure the amount of an unknown adulterant from the crude extract using curcumin as a non-isotopic isobaric internal standard. The relationship between the saffron and curcumin molar ratios were established with a correlation coefficient of 0.9942. The ANOVA regression model was significant, F(1, 72) = 13 595.82, p < 0.001, y = (0.0116 ± 0.0001)x + (-0.1214 ± 0.0086). No matrix effects were observed and good results were obtained with respect to instrumental repeatability (*RSD% < 2%) and LOD (1.1%). The analysis of commercial samples of saffron using the proposed approach showed the suitability of the method for routine analysis (minimal sample preparation and very short measuring time per sample).

Human coelomic fluid investigation: A MS-based analytical approach to prenatal screening

Coelomic fluid (CF) is the earliest dynamic and complex fluid of the gestational sac. CF contains maternal cells and proteins produced by embryonic cells, tissues and excretions. The biochemical composition of CF is modified throughout the first trimester of pregnancy and its protein profile reflects both physiological/pathological changes affecting the embryo and mother. Identification of variations in the balance of proteins might indicate particular types of pathologies, or ascertain specific genetic disorders. A platform utilizing protein enrichment procedures coupled with shotgun identification and iTRAQ differentiation provided the identification and quantitation of 88 unique embryonic proteins. It is relevant to note that chromosome X protein CXorf23 was found suggesting the embryo sex. Foetal sex was determined by Quantitative Fluorescent Polymerase Chain Reaction (QF-PCR) on coelomic cells, foetal tissues and maternal white blood cells, with a 100% concordance rate between iTRAQ-MS/MS and QF-PCR data. The functional associations among the identified proteins were investigated using STRING database. Open Targets Platform showed as significant the following therapeutic areas: nervous, respiratory, eye and head system disease.

Determination of steroid hormones and their metabolite in several types of meat samples by ultra high performance liquid chromatography-Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry

A new analytical method based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled to Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry (Orbitrap-HRMS) has been developed for the determination of steroid hormones (hydrocortisone, cortisone, progesterone, prednisone, prednisolone, testosterone, melengesterol acetate, hydrocortisone-21-acetate, cortisone-21-acetate, testosterone propionate, 17α-methyltestosterone, 6α-methylprednisolone and medroxyprogesterone) and their metabolite (17α-hydroxyprogesterone) in three meat samples (chicken, pork and beef). Two different extraction approaches were tested (QuEChERS "quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe" and "dilute and shoot"), observing that the QuEChERS method provided the best results in terms of recovery. A clean-up step was applied comparing several sorbents, obtaining the best results when florisil and aluminum oxide were used. The optimized method was validated, obtaining suitable results for all validation parameters in the three meat matrices evaluated. Recovery values ranged from 70% to 103% (except for prednisone in beef samples), meanwhile repeatability and reproducibility were obtained at values lower than 18% and 21%, respectively. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was established for most of the compounds at 1.0 μg/kg, except for testosterone in chicken and hydrocortisone-21-acetate and cortisone-21-acetate in pork at 2.0 μg/kg. Decision limit (CCα) and detection capability (CCβ) values ranged from 1.0-2.7 μg/kg and 1.9-5.5 μg/kg, respectively, in the three matrices. Finally, thirty one meat samples were analyzed and two hormones, progesterone and hydrocortisone, were detected in a beef and pork sample at 1.7 and 2.8 μg/kg respectively.

A sensitive approach for simultaneous quantification of carbonyl and hydroxyl steroids using 96-well SPE plates based on stable isotope coded-derivatization-UPLC-MRM: method development and application

Steroid hormones are crucial substances that mediate a wide range of vital physiological functions. Because of the important biological significance of steroids, this paper presents a new targeted metabolic method based on adding stable isotope tags to hydroxyl containing and carbonyl containing steroid hormones with two pairs of synthesized derivatization reagents: deuterium 4-(dimethylamino)-benzoic acid (D₄-DMBA), and D₅-Girard P (D₅-GP) using of ultra performance liquid chromatography-multiple reaction monitoring (UPLC-MRM). Firstly, an Oasis PRiME hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) 96-well solid phase extraction plate was used to pretreat a number of biological samples simultaneously. Secondly, hydroxyl and carbonyl steroids were labeled using two pairs of synthetic reagents, namely DMBA and D₄-DMBA, and GP and D₅-GP, respectively. Thirdly, the mixed products were detected using UPLC-MRM and the mass spectroscopy conditions were optimized. Methodology development showed that the sensitivity was enhanced 1 to >500-fold. Finally, the new method was applied to analysis of urine samples of healthy males, females and rats. The results revealed that the method can be sensitive and reliable for simultaneous quantification of steroid hormones containing hydroxyl and carbonyl groups in 12 min in a single run. This method provided a powerful tool for studying the metabolic mechanism of steroids and contributed to the development of targeted metabolomics.

Steroid hormones are crucial substances that mediate a wide range of vital physiological functions.

Triacylglycerols in edible oils: Determination, characterization, quantitation, chemometric approach and evaluation of adulterations

Vegetable oils are a dietary source of lipids that constitute an essential component of a healthy diet. The commonly used vegetable oils differ significantly for their triacylglycerol (TAG) profile. TAGs represent the principal components of oils and may contain different fatty acids (FA) esterified with glycerol leading to several positional isomers. To differentiate individual TAGs species in edible oils, advanced analysis systems and innovative methods are therefore required. TAGs can be considered as good fingerprints for quality control and many studies have been performed to develop rapid and low cost analytical methods to determinate the authenticity, origin and eventually evidence frauds or adulterations. The present manuscript provides a general overview on the most common vegetable oils TAGs compositions and on the related analytical methodologies recently used. Finally, the chemometric applications developed to assess the authenticity, quality and botanical origin of various edible oils are discussed.

Tandem mass spectrometry: a convenient approach in the dosage of steviol glycosides in Stevia sweetened commercial food beverages

The use of sweeteners extracted from leaves of the plant species Stevia rebaudiana is increasing worldwide. They are recognized as generally recognized as safe by the US-FDA and approved by EU-European Food Safety Authority, with some recommendation on the daily dosage that should not interfere with glucose metabolism. The results presented here introduce an easy analytical approach for the identification and assay of Stevia sweeteners in commercially available soft drink, based on liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry, using a natural statin-like molecule, Brutieridin, as internal standard. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mass spectrometry and potentiometry studies of Al(iii)–naringin complexes

Here we have studied the complexation of naringin with Al(iii) under physiological conditions (i.e., at 37 °C and in 0.16 mol L⁻¹NaCl).