Analysis of intact tetraether lipids in archaeal cell material and sediments by high performance liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry

A method combining normal phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPL C) with positive ion atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrom etry (APCI-MS) was developed for the analysis of intact glycerol dialkyl gl ycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) in archaeal cell material and sediments. All GDG Ts previously reported to occur in the thermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus sol fataricus could be identified based on their mass spectra and retention tim e. Positive ion mass spectra consisted of abundant protonated molecules and fragment ions corresponding to loss of water and the glycerol moiety, In a ddition, two novel GDGTs representing alternative combinations of biphytany l moieties were observed. Using this method, the tetraethers present in the thermophilic archaeon Metallosphaera sedula and two sediment samples were characterized. This rapid method will greatly contribute to the establishme nt of the sedimentary record of these compounds and increase our understand ing of archaea and their occurrence in widely different environments. Copyr ight (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.