Analytische Chemie
Zur Bestimmung von Arzneimittelrückständen in Oberflächengewässern wird häufig die LC-MS/MS als Methode der Wahl eingesetzt. Obwohl sich dieses Nachweisverfahren durch eine hohe Empfindlichkeit und Selektivität auszeichnet, gibt es vor allem bei geringen Substanzkonzentrationen häufig störende Einflüsse durch Matrixeffekte. Diese Matrixeffekte können unterschiedliche Ursachen haben.
Einige Matrixeffekte werden am Beispiel des Wirkstoffs Carbamazepin erläutert. Carbamazepin wird durch Kläranlagen nur partiell aus dem Abwasser entfernt und ist im Spurenbereich auch noch im Trinkwasser nachzuweisen. Wenn für die LC-MS/MS wasserbasierte Anteile in der mobilen Phase genutzt werden, befinden sich trotz Verwendung einer Labor-Reinstwasseranlage in der mobilen Phase noch kleinste Konzentrationen von Carbamazepin, welche einen Blindwert im unteren ppt-Bereich verursachen.
Weitere Matrixeffekte treten durch die unterschiedliche Qualität der Oberflächenwasserproben auf. Koelutionen von weiteren Inhaltstoffen zeitgleich mit dem Zielanalyten führen zu einer Diskriminierung des Meßsignals. Verbindungen, die den gleichen Massenübergang bei nahezu identischer Retentionszeit zeigen, erfordern eine reproduzierbare chromatographische Vortrennung oder die Wahl einer alternativen HPLC-Säule.
Fungal secondary metabolites such as phomopsin A (PHO-A) produced by the fungus Diaporthe toxica are referred to as “emerging” mycotoxins. Recently, we developed a biosynthetic approach to gain access to 15N-isotopically labelled PHO-A as internal standard (IS) for PHO-A matrix independent quantification of PHO-A in various commodities. Aim of the present work was to elucidate the applicability of the new IS for accurate quantification and to investigate the phomopsin formation on various legume seeds as well as plant material. In summary, the applicability of the SIDA-HPLC-MS/MS method could be proven and the potential of D. toxica to produce high amounts of phomopsins under unfavorable conditions on lupins and other legume seeds could be shown. Moreover, a novel toxic methylated PHO-A derivative was unveiled in natural samples infested with D. toxica.
Leguminosen wie z.B. Bohnen, Erbsen, Soja und zunehmend auch die Samen der Süßlupine liefern aufgrund ihres hohen Proteingehaltes einen wertvollen Beitrag zu einer veganen oder vegetarischen Ernährung. Jedoch sind Lupinen anfällig für Infektionen mit dem Pilz Diaporthe toxica, der u.a. Phomopsin A als hepatotoxischen Sekundärmetaboliten bildet. Ziel der Arbeiten waren die Gewinnung und Anwendung eines 15N-isotopenmarkierten internen Standards für die HPLC-MS/MS-Analyse dieses Toxins sowie die Quantifizierung der Toxinbildung in einem „worst case“-Szenario.
Ergot alkaloids are a group of toxic compounds, formed by fungi on infested grasses. In 2022, the European Commission set into effect maximum levels for the sum of the twelve major ergot alkaloids in multiple foods. To facilitate the laborious and costly individual quantification of the twelve major ergot alkaloids by HPLC–MS/MS or -FLD, we recently reported a sum parameter method (SPM) for ergot alkaloid quantification. Here, derivatization to lysergic acid hydrazide—a derivative of the mutual ergoline backbone in all ergot alkaloids—allowed simplified determination of all ergot alkaloids in flour via HPLC-FLD. For the measurement of more complex matrices like processed foods, we now developed a MS/MS-based SPM. Two internal standards (IS), isotopically labelled at different positions of the molecule, were synthesized and employed in the MS/MS-measurements. Method performance using either the 13CD3-labelled or the 15N2-labelled IS was evaluated on naturally contaminated rye and wheat flour samples as well as on processed food matrices. Employing the 13CD3-labelled IS leads to lower variances and better consistency with the reference data (obtained by the FLD-based SPM) in flour samples compared to the 15N2-labelled IS. The novel method significantly improves the measurement of ergot alkaloids in complex food matrices, due to their increased selectivity and thus lower interferences. Furthermore, the application of isotope labelled IS obviates the need for time-consuming steps like the determination of recovery rate based, matrix specific correction factors as described in the MS/MS-based European standard method for ergot alkaloid quantification (EN 17425).
Ergot alkaloids (EAs) formed by Claviceps fungi are one of the most common food contaminants worldwide, affecting cereals such as rye, wheat, and barley. To accurately determine the level of contamination and to monitor EAs maximum levels set by the European Union, the six most common EAs (so-called priority EAs) and their corresponding epimers are quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). The quantification of EAs in complex food matrices without appropriate internal tandards is challenging but currently carried out in the standard method EN 7425:2021 due to their commercial unavailability. To address the need for isotopically labeled EAs, we focus on two semi-synthetic approaches for the synthesis of these reference standards. Therefore, we investigate the feasibility of the N6-demethylation of native ergotamine to yield norergotamine, which can subsequently be remethylated with an isotopically labeled methylating reagent, such as iodomethane (13CD3-I), to yield isotopically labeled ergotamine and its C8-epimer ergotaminine. Testing the isotopically labeled ergotamine/-inine against native ergotamine/-inine with HPLC coupled to high-resolution HR-MS/MS proved the structure of ergotamine-13CD3 and ergotaminine-13CD3. Thus, for the first time, we can describe their synthesis from unlabeled, native ergotamine. Furthermore, this approach is promising as a universal way to synthesize other isotopically labeled EAs.