title: Validation of the analytical procedure for the determination of the neurotoxin β-N-methylamino-L-alanine in complex environmental samples.
abstract: The neurotoxic l-2-amino-3-methylaminopropionic acid (BMAA) was hypothesized to be involved in sporadic cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Studies highlighting a possible implication of environmental factors in the incidence of sporadic ALS have become more numerous over recent years. Over the past years, the most widely used method for quantifying BMAA was based on the derivatization of this polar and basic molecule with a fluorescent compound (6-aminoquinolonyl-N-hydroxysuccinimidyl, 6-AQC). This derivatization allows the retention of the conjugate by reversed-phase liquid chromatography and its detection by fluorescence. Nevertheless, recent findings have shown that this method applied to complex samples may cause false positive responses. We therefore developed an analytical procedure for the determination of underivatized BMAA at trace level in complex environmental matrices (river water, cyanobacteria and biofilm) using solid-phase extraction (SPE) based on mixed mode sorbent to concentrate and clean up real samples. Analyzes were performed by hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) coupled to electrospray ionization and tandem mass spectrometry used in multiple reaction monitoring scan mode. Analytical procedures were validated for the different natural samples using the total error approach. BMAA can be quantified by these reliable and highly selective analytical methods in a range of only a few ng mL(-1) in river water and a few ng mg(-1) dry weight in cyanobacteria and biofilm matrices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical, Bioanalytical Sciences and Miniaturization (LSABM), UMR ESPCI-ParisTech-UPMC-CNRS 7195 PECSA, ESPCI Paris Tech, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Combes
authors.forename: Saïda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: El Abdellaoui
authors.forename: Cédric
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sarazin
authors.forename: Jérome
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vial
authors.forename: Annick
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mejean
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ploux
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pichon
mesh_terms: D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018441:Biofilms; D002623:Chemistry Techniques, Analytical / Q000379:methods*; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000737:chemistry; D000087522:Cyanobacteria Toxins; D004777:Environment; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D052616:Solid Phase Extraction; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry
chemical_list: D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino; D000087522:Cyanobacteria Toxins; D009498:Neurotoxins; C001824:beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine