Simultaneous and confirmative detection of multi-residues of β2-agonists and β-blockers in urine using LC-MS/MS/MS coupled with β-receptor molecular imprinted polymer SPE clean-up

Hydroxylated hierarchical flower-like COF for solid-phase extraction of adrenergic receptor agonists in milk

A new detection platform based on a hydroxylated covalent organic framework (COF) integrated with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was constructed and used for detecting adrenergic receptor agonists (ARAs) residues in milk. The hydroxylated COF was prepared by polymerization of tris(4-aminophenyl)amine and 1,3,5-tris(4-formyl-3-hydroxyphenyl)benzene and applied to solid-phase extraction (SPE) of ARAs. This hydroxylated COF was featured with hierarchical flower-like morphology, easy preparation, and copious active adsorption sites. The adsorption model fittings and molecular simulation were applied to explore the potential adsorption mechanism. This detection platform was suitable for detecting four α2- and five β2-ARAs residues in milk. The linear ranges of the ARAs were from 0.25 to 50 µg·kg-1; the intra-day and the inter-day repeatability were in the range 2.9-7.9% and 2.0-10.1%, respectively. This work demonstrates this hydroxylated COF has great potential as SPE cartridge packing, and provides a new way to determine ARAs residues in milk.

Analysis of β-blockers and β2-agonists in environmental and biological samples by magnetic solid-phase extraction combined with high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

β-Blockers and β2-agonists are commonly prescribed for therapeutic treatments and are also administered to livestock, leading to their presence in both environmental and biological samples. Hence, the development of sensitive, rapid, and reliable analytical methods for the determination of β-blockers and β2-agonists in environmental and biological samples is important. In this study, MIL-101(Cr)-NH₂ &GO-coated SiO₂ /Fe₃ O₄ magnetic particles were prepared as sorbents for magnetic solid-phase extraction and then combined with high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the analysis of 20 β-blockers and eight β2-agonists. The experimental parameters of magnetic solid-phase extraction were studied in detail, and the optimal conditions were established. Under optimal conditions, the limits of detection were in the range of 0.002-0.007 μg/L with enrichment factors of 20.2-24.9. The developed method was successfully applied for the determination of 20 β-blockers and eight β2-agonists in river water, human urine, and freeze-dried pork liver powder. Bisoprolol and salbutamol were detected at concentrations of 2.78 mg/L in human urine and 11.5 μg/kg in freeze-dried pork liver powder.

A sensitive and selective HPLC-MS3 method for therapeutic drug monitoring of meropenem and its validation by comparison with HPLC-MS2 methods

Meropenem, a representative β-lactam antibiotic, is widely used to treat complicated and serious infections. Therefore, it is a great significance to monitor the plasma drug concentration for individualized antimicrobial therapy. This study first describes the development and validation of high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry cubed method for monitoring meropenem in human plasma. Protein precipitation with methanol and a chromatographic analysis time of 7 min make this method is simple and high-throughput. Meropenem was extracted from human plasma with recoveries greater than 94.1%. Calibration curves were linear (R² >0.995) in the concentration range of 0.5-50 μg/mL. Overall accuracy and precision did not exceed 8.0% as well as no significant matrix effect was observed. The novelty of this method is that the triple-stage MS technology improves the selectivity and sensitivity. A comparison of the presented method and traditional liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was assessed in 44 patients treated with meropenem and Passing-Bablok regression coefficients and Bland-Altman plots showed that no significant difference between the two methods. So the triple-stage MS method developed in this study is appropriate and practical for the monitor of meropenem in the daily clinical laboratory practice. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Rapid and sensitive analysis of trace β-blockers by magnetic solid-phase extraction coupled with fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

A rapid and sensitive method for analyzing trace β-blockers in complex biological samples, which involved magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) coupled with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS), was developed. Novel nanosilver-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles with an interlayer of poly(3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine) (polyDOPA@Ag-MNPs) were synthesized and used as MSPE adsorbents to extract trace β-blockers from biological samples. After extraction, the analytes loaded on the polyDOPA@Ag-MNPs were desorbed using an organic solvent and analyzed by FTICR-MS. The method was rapid and sensitive, with a total detection procedure of less than 10 min as well as limits of detection and quantification in the ranges of 3.5–6.8 pg/mL and 11.7–22.8 pg/mL, respectively. The accuracy of the method was also desirable, with recoveries ranging from 80.9% to 91.0% following the detection of analytes in human blood samples. All the experimental results demonstrated that the developed MSPE-FTICR-MS method was suitable for the rapid and sensitive analysis of trace β-blockers in complex biological samples.

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A MSPE-FTICR-MS method was developed for the rapid and sensitive analysis of β-blockers.

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Novel magnetic nanoparticles (polyDOPA@Ag-MNPs) were synthesized.

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The polyDOPA@Ag-MNPs showed high enrichment capacity during MSPE of β-blockers.

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The loaded β-blockers were desorbed and analyzed using ESI-FTICR-MS.

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Trace β-blockers in human blood were successfully detected.

High resolution mass spectrometry-based detection and quantification of β-agonists at relevant trace levels in a variety of animal-based food matrices

β-agonists have been illegally used for growth promoting purposes in animal husbandry, leading to residue concentrations capable of inducing acute toxic reactions among consumers of animal-based food. There is not only a need for detecting β-agonist residues at low concentrations, but also to increase the number of compounds to be monitored. It was therefore the aim of this paper to develop a unified method capable of detecting a wide range of different β-agonists (20 analytes including some metabolites) in a variety of matrices (muscle, liver, plasma, milk and urine). The developed procedure permits the quick processing of samples with limited labour input and consumption of consumables. The method has been validated according to the Commission Decision 98/536/EC. Detection is based on ultrahigh-performance chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry. Validation was performed on two different instruments (Orbitrap and time of flight). The obtained limit of quantification (0.05 to 0.5 μg/kg and the average recovery of 78% in the most complex matrix (liver) satisfies current regulatory requirements.

Determination of propranolol and carvedilol in urine samples using a magnetic polyamide composite and LC–MS/MS

Aim: β-blockers are compounds that bind with adrenoreceptors hindering their interaction with adrenalin and noradrenalin. They are clinically relevant and they are also used in some sport as doping agents. Results: A new method based on the combination of dispersive micro-solid phase extraction and LC–MS/MS has been developed to determine propranolol and carvedilol in urine samples. For this purpose a magnetic-polyamide composite is synthesized and used as sorbent. Working under the optimum conditions, the method provides limits of detection and quantification in the range of 0.1–0.15 μg/l and 0.3–0.5 μg/l, for carvedilol and propranolol, respectively. The precision, expressed as RSD, was better than 9.6% and the relative recoveries varied between 73.7 and 81.3%. Conclusion: The methodology is appropriate for the determination of β-blockers in urine samples at the low microgram per liter range for therapeutic purposes.

Determination of the potential illegal addition of β-blockers to function foods by QuEChERS sample preparation and UPLC-MS/MS analysis

A novel method was established for the determination of 11 β-blockers in sedative functional foods using QuEchERS sample preparation coupled with UPLC-MS/MS. The analytes were extracted twice with acetic acid-acetonitrile-methanol (0.1:3:7, v/v/v), and the extracts were purified with mixed QuEchERS adsorbents. Separation was performed on a C18 column, and detection using electrospray ionisation in positive-ion mode. The linear range for the 11 analytes was from 1 to 500 μg l(-1), and the correlation coefficients were above 0.9990. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.02-0.16 and 0.07-0.54 μg kg(-1), respectively. The average recovery for 11 analytes at the three spiking levels varied from 71.8% to 121.9%, and the relative standard deviation was 2.4-12.6%. The method was applied to the analysis of β-blockers in 22 real samples, but none of the analytes was detected. The proposed method is sensitive, efficient, reliable and applicable to real samples.