ANALYSIS OF CATECHINS IN TEA EXTRACTS BY LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY ELECTROSPRAY-IONIZATION MASS-SPECTROMETRY

The analysis of catechin and related polyphenolic compounds in crude t ea extracts by direct infusing of the samples into the mass spectromet er is described in this report. The mass spectra of catechin and its a nalogues all produced strong deprotonated molecules in the negative io nization mode. Further structural elucidation was accomplished by tand em mass spectrometry. This study demonstrates the mass spectrometric c apability to analyze different components in crude plant extracts with out recourse to liquid chromatographic separation. (C) 1998 Elsevier S cience B.V.