DETERMINATION OF HETEROCYCLIC AMINES BY PNEUMATICALLY ASSISTED ELECTROSPRAY LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY MASS-SPECTROMETRY

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry was applied to the study of the amines IQ, Trp-P-l, Trp-P-2, PhIP and A alpha C and the co-mutagen s harman and norharman. The results obtained on a triple quadrupole ma ss spectrometer equipped with a pneumatically assisted electrospray so urce are reported. The chromatographic conditions were optimized with a reversed-phase column (1 mm I.D.) using acetonitrile-5 mM ammonium a cetate (pH 6.7) (50:50) as the mobile phase at a how-rate of 50 mu l m in(-1). Different parameters influencing the mass spectra were investi gated. For these compounds [M + H](+) in the positive-ion mode and als o some fragments produced through collisionally activated decompositio n in the interface were observed. Detection limits of 5.4-44 pg were o btained for standard solutions of these amines. Analysis of a meat ext ract was performed by HPLC-MS using single-ion monitoring after a soli d-phase extraction clean-up.