Speaker: Perry Wang, US Food and Drug Administration

Topic: Advanced Application of LC-MS and Challenges

Date: Monday, December 14th, 2020

Time: 2:00 pm Presentation

Location: Webinar – see emails on Dec. 3 and 10 for invite link. Join the mailing list

Abstract: Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is the most sensitive analytical technique by far. It combines the physical separation power of liquid chromatography with the mass analysis capabilities of mass spectrometry. Because the individual capabilities of each technique are synergistically enhanced, the combination of liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry could be called a “perfect marriage” -liquid chromatography separates components in mixtures by affinity and mass spectrometry differentiates the components by mass. Therefore, LC-MS is applied in a broad field including biotechnology, environment monitoring, food safety, and pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and cosmetic industries. However, the technique often faces a great challenge -matrix effect, which can be observed as either a loss (ion suppression), or an increase (ion enhancement) in responses. The matrix effects affect the detection capability, precision and/or accuracy for the analytes of interest. Thus, the matrix effects should be evaluated during method development by comparing the response of a standard solution prepared in a sample matrix over the response in neat solutions or comparing the calibration-curve slope of standard solutions prepared in sample matrix over the slope of standards prepared in neat solutions. Unfortunately, a representative matrix is not always available for some studies, and how to evaluate and minimize the matrix effects are challenging. Different techniques to minimize matrix effects will be presented and the concept of matrix effect factor (MEF) will be introduced and discussed.