Simultaneous Analysis of Plant-Based Natural Toxins in Urine by LC-MS/MS

From the perspective of health crisis management, a simultaneous analysis method using LC-ESI-MS/MS was investigated for plant-based natural toxins found in plants such as aconite and mushrooms. The study examined the following 11 compounds, which have been reported to be detectable in urine and for which standards are available.

• Hypaconitine, mesaconitine, aconitine, jesaconitine from the origin plant aconite
• α-Amanitin, phalloidin from the origin plant death cap mushroom
• Atropine, scopolamine from the origin plant jimsonweed
• α-Solanine, α-chaconine from the origin plant potato
• Colchicine from the origin plant autumn crocus

Separation was challenging with general ODS and normal-phase columns, but the multi-mode ODS column Scherzo SM-C18 showed favorable results. The quantitation range using MRM measurement was 20 ng/mL to 500 ng/mL with good linearity, and the spiked recovery rate in healthy urine was also favorable. By creating a database of mass spectra through product scanning, the potential for high-sensitivity qualitative analysis of natural toxins in urine was also identified.

Reference:
Simultaneous Determination of phytotoxins in urine with LC/MS/MS
Yamaguchi Prefectural Institute of Public Health and Environment, Report No. 52 (FY 2009)

• Imtakt Technical Information TI645E

Analysis of α-Solanine and α-Chaconine by LC-MS/MS

Potato sprouts and peels contain potato glycoalkaloids that can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. For health crisis management, including food poisoning, the LC-MS/MS analysis method for these compounds was investigated. Samples included cultivated potatoes, sprouts and peels of sprouted potatoes, and potato-containing curry.

Using Unison UK-C18 for LC-ESI(+)-MS/MS (MRM), both α-solanine and α-chaconine showed good quantitation in the range of 1 ng/mL to 1000 ng/mL. The conventional HPLC method had a quantitation limit of 20 μg/g, but this method improved sensitivity to 0.01 μg/g. Together with the newly created MS/MS spectral database, a useful qualitative and quantitative method for crisis management was established.

Reference:
LC/MS/MSによるαｰソラニン及びα-チャコニンの分析法の検討
Yamaguchi Prefectural Institute of Public Health and Environment, Report No. 51 (FY 2008)

Residue Analysis of Pesticides by LC-MS/MS

Following the implementation of the positive list system, 202 pesticide residues were tested in Yamaguchi Prefecture. For LC-MS/MS, the following 18 pesticide components were tested simultaneously using ESI-MRM with the Cadenza CD-C18 column:

Imidacloprid, Indoxacarb, Oxamyl, Kizalofop-ethyl, Clothianidin, Chromafenozide, Cyazofamid, Siflufenamid, Diflubenzuron, Cyprodinil, Simeconazole, Thiacloprid, Thiamethoxam, Tebufenozide, Triflumizole, Triflumizole (metabolite), Hexythiazox, Linurol

Measurements were taken on 200 samples from 32 agricultural products down to 0.001 ppm. It was confirmed that the detected pesticide residues were significantly below the residue standards.

Reference:
ポジティブリスト制度施行後の山口県における残留農薬検査状況について
Yamaguchi Prefectural Institute of Public Health and Environment, Report No. 49 (FY 2006)