title: Comparison of unit resolution SRM and TOF-MS at 12,000 mass resolution for quantitative bioanalysis of 11 steroids from human plasma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of high-resolution MS systems for quantitative bioanalysis is a growing field, even though a clear majority of bioanalytical methods are still based on MS/MS with triple quadrupole (QqQ) instrumentation. The recent advances in TOF-MS technology have provided increased linear range and a high selectivity of detection by increased mass resolution and mass accuracy, making these instruments attractive for quantitative analysis due to lack of a need for compound-specific detection reaction optimization and their capability to collect data for a high number of compounds by sensitive wide mass range data acquisition.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here, 11 steroids spiked to human plasma were analyzed by LC-MS using both a QqQ MS system and a TOF instrument operating at 12,000 mass resolution. Sample preparation was performed by hybrid SPE technology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The LOD were 0.5-5 and 0.5-20 ng/ml in plasma for all analytes with QqQ and TOF-MS detection, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the results show wider linear range and slightly better sensitivity for most of the compounds with QqQ in comparison to TOF, acceptable performance was obtained for most of the compounds within the range of LOD to 2000 ng/ml (in plasma), this was also the case with LC-TOF-MS analysis. The main problem in TOF-MS analysis at 12,000 mass resolution from plasma was selectivity rather than sensitivity or linear range.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rousu
authors.forename: Ari
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tolonen
mesh_terms: D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D006801:Humans; D057230:Limit of Detection; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D015394:Molecular Structure; D013256:Steroids / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D013256:Steroids