title: Analysis of urinary organic acids by Plasmaspray liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry.
abstract: High-performance liquid chromatography is being used increasingly as a screening method to detect organic acid-urias, an important group of inherited metabolic disorders. Analysis is hampered by lack of a suitable specific detection system. We have carried out preliminary investigations to assess the potential value of liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry with a plasmaspray interface. Spectra of standard acids yielded intense [M-H]- ions with little fragmentation. Organic acids could not be identified in urine samples from healthy neonates because of poor sensitivity. However, urine from a baby with the inherited disorder methylmalonic aciduria showed a distinct peak of methylmalonic acid, easily identified owing to its high sample concentration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Mills
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Clench
authors.forename: V C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Parr
mesh_terms: D000138:Acidosis / Q000652:urine; D000143:Acids / Q000652:urine*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000652:urine; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008764:Methylmalonic Acid / Q000652:urine; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
chemical_list: D000143:Acids; D008764:Methylmalonic Acid