title: Sample preparation for liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry using functionalized ferromagnetic micro-particles.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the applicability of functionalized ferromagnetic micro-particles in the sample preparation for quantification of small molecules by LC-MS/MS.
  
  
  METHODS
  A representative analyte (itraconazole) was extracted from plasma samples using small quantities of C18-modified ferromagnetic micro-particles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  125 microg of functionalized micro-particles was sufficient to extract the target analyte from 10 microL of plasma with a recovery rate of approximately 100%; linearity (r>0.99) and reproducibility (inter-assay CV< or =7%) of quantitative results was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  C18-functionalized ferromagnetic particles can be used to efficiently extract small molecule analytes from complex biological matrices for quantitative analyses using LC-MS/MS.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Hospital of the University of Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, D-81377 Munich, Germany. Michael.Vogeser@med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vogeser
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Geiger
authors.forename: Rupert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Herrmann
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kobold