title: Pharmaceutical and clinical analysis by tandem mass spectrometry.
abstract: Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) is a promising technique for trace determination of compounds in complex mixtures. The application of triple-quadrupole MS/MS to clinical and pharmacological studies has been investigated with major emphasis on rapid screening and determination of drugs and biomolecules in physiological fluids and tissues. These techniques have been applied to a range of problems, including the determination of chlorinated compounds in humans, subpicogram analysis of neurochemicals and the detection of illegal drugs in racing animals. A new technique for determining the structures of all the metabolites of a particular drug has also been developed. It is possible to identify in a single sample all molecular ions which contain substructures characteristic of the parent drug. The structure of each metabolite can then be determined by obtaining the MS/MS spectrum of the molecular ion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Yost
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Perchalski
authors.forename: H O
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Brotherton
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Budd