Micro and capillary liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry: a new dimension in phytohormone research

Quantification of phytohormones in small amounts of material requires sensi tive analytical techniques. The analysis of indoles and cytokinins using el ectrospray tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS) was described earlier. Gradient elution resulted in an improved detection limit. Micro liquid chromatograp hy (LC) and capillary LC, in combination with large volume injections, resu lted in a 200 to 1200 times net increase in sensitivity in comparison with conventional isocratic LC-MS-MS. We obtained a linearity range between 1 fm ol and 5 pmol for capillary LC-MS-MS and between 5 fmol and 1 nmol for micr o LC-MS-MS. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.