Pharmaceutical and clinical analysis by tandem mass spectrometry.
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.
Yost
R A
RA
Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
Perchalski
R J
RJ
Brotherton
H O
HO
Johnson
J V
JV
Budd
M B
MB