Simplified screening approach of anabolic steroid esters using a compact atmospheric solid analysis probe mass spectrometric system

Assessment of a Single Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer Combined with an Atmospheric Solids Analysis Probe for the On-Site Identification of Amnesty Bin Drugs

The surging number of people who abuse drugs has a great impact on healthcare and law enforcement systems. Amnesty bin drug analysis helps monitor the "street drug market" and tailor the harm reduction advice. Therefore, rapid and accurate drug analysis methods are crucial for on-site work. An analytical method for the rapid identification of five commonly detected drugs ((3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), cocaine, ketamine, 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine, and chloromethcathinone)) at various summer festivals in the U.K. was developed and validated employing a single quadrupole mass spectrometer combined with an atmospheric pressure solids analysis probe (ASAP-MS). The results were confirmed on a benchtop gas chromatography-mass spectrometry instrument and included all samples that challenged the conventional spectroscopic techniques routinely employed on-site. Although the selectivity/specificity step of the validation assessment of the MS system proved a challenge, it still produced 93% (N = 279) and 92.5% (N = 87) correct results when tested on- and off-site, respectively. A few "partly correct" results showed some discrepancies between the results, with the MS-only unit missing some low intensity active ingredients (N-ethylpentylone, MDMA) and cutting agents (caffeine, paracetamol, and benzocaine) or detecting some when not present. The incorrect results were mainly based on library coverage. The study proved that the ASAP-MS instrument can successfully complement the spectroscopic techniques used for qualitative drug analysis on- and off-site. Although the validation testing highlighted some areas for improvement concerning selectivity/specificity for structurally similar compounds, this method has the potential to be used in trend monitoring and harm reduction.

Applications of ambient ionization mass spectrometry in 2022: An annual review

The development of ambient ionization mass spectrometry (AIMS) has transformed analytical science, providing the means of performing rapid analysis of samples in their native state, both in and out of the laboratory. The capacity to eliminate sample preparation and pre-MS separation techniques, leading to true real-time analysis, has led to AIMS naturally gaining a broad interest across the scientific community. Since the introduction of the first AIMS techniques in the mid-2000s, the field has exploded with dozens of novel ion sources, an array of intriguing applications, and an evident growing interest across diverse areas of study. As the field continues to surge forward each year, ambient ionization techniques are increasingly becoming commonplace in laboratories around the world. This annual review provides an overview of AIMS techniques and applications throughout 2022, with a specific focus on some of the major fields of research, including forensic science, disease diagnostics, pharmaceuticals and food sciences. New techniques and methods are introduced, demonstrating the unwavering drive of the analytical community to further advance this exciting field and push the boundaries of what analytical chemistry can achieve.

Rapid Single Particle Atmospheric Solids Analysis Probe-Mass Spectrometry for Multimodal Analysis of Microplastics

Despite mass spectrometry (MS) being proven powerful for the characterization of synthetic polymers, its potential for the analysis of single particle microplastics (MPs) is yet to be fully disclosed. To date, MPs are regarded as ubiquitous contaminants, but the limited availability of techniques that enable full characterizations of MPs results in a lack of systematic data regarding their occurrence. In this study, an atmospheric solid analysis probe (ASAP) coupled to a compact quadrupole MS is proposed for the chemical analysis of single particle microplastics, while maintaining full compatibility with complementary staining and image analysis approaches. A two-stage ASAP probe temperature program was optimized for the removal of additives and surface contaminants followed by the actual polymer characterization. The method showed specific mass spectra for a wide range of single particle MPs, including polyolefins, polyaromatics, polyacrylates, (bio)polyesters, polyamides, polycarbonates, and polyacrylonitriles. The single particle size detection limits for polystyrene MPs were found to be 30 and 5 μm in full scan and selected ion recording mode, respectively. Moreover, results are presented of a multimodal microplastic analysis approach in which filtered particles are first characterized by staining and fluorescence microscopy, followed by simple probe picking of individual particles for subsequent analysis by ASAP-MS. The method provides a full characterization of MP contamination, including particle number, particle size, particle shape, and chemical identity. The applicability of the developed multimodal method was successfully demonstrated by the analysis of MPs in bioplastic bottled water.

Deployable Mass Spectrometry for Rapid On-Site Bioanalysis

Benchtop liquid chromatography (LC)–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) and benchtop gas chromatography–MS (GC–MS) have been the gold standard in bioanalysis for decades, employed in clinical, forensic, and anti-doping laboratories worldwide. However, traditional instrumentation is subject to limitations that severely restrict the speed at which samples can be analyzed, the ease with which materials can be prepared, and the location where the analysis must be performed. With the advent of ambient ionization and portable mass spectrometers, the ability to perform rapid, on-site analysis is fast becoming a reality. Without the need for extensive sample preparation, analysis times as low as several seconds, and the ability to perform analysis remote from the laboratory, deployable mass spectrometers have the potential to revolutionize bioanalysis. However, several challenges must be tackled before this innovative technology can be widely adopted.