PRE-REGISTER for this Workshop
| Day: | Thursday |
| Time: | 08:00 - 08:45 |
| Room: | Room 1 |
Achieving Low Level Detection of Clinical Samples Prior to LC-MS/MS Analysis through efficient Sample Prep
Dr. Lee Williams, Biotage GB Limited, UK
The use of LC/MS analysis in the clinical lab has increased exponentially over the last 10 years. Modern mass spectrometers are extremely sensitive allowing low level detection of many target analytes. However, this sensitivity can come at a price, in that levels of contamination not previous detected with less sensitive instruments can now have larger impact on analysis. The complexity of common matrices such as plasma/serum and urine while presenting different challenges can have a marked influence on method performance. As a result sample preparation is an extremely important part of the process in order to provide robust methods. This seminar will focus on some of the method development challenges our lab faced when looking at two clinical assays; Endogenous steroid hormone extraction from serum, and catecholamine extraction from plasma and urine. Particular emphasis will be placed on the various sample preparation options we looked at for the extraction of these analytes. Optimization of the extraction process we investigated included recovery, co-extractable matrix components, HPLC column degradation, calibration curve performance and limits of quantitation.