Liquid chromatography-ion trap-mass spectrometry and its application to determine organic contaminants in the environment and food

Recent experiences with liquid chromatography-quadrupole ion trap-mass spectrometry (LC-QIT-MS), as an analytical tool for determining trace amounts of organic contaminants in food and environmental samples, are addressed in this review. A brief introduction to the fundamental theory for quadrupole ion trap devices illustrates possibilities and limitations of this technique. Special attention is paid to the impact of sample preparation and chromatography on the ionization efficiency of analytes isolated from complex food and environmental matrices. The capacity to provide useful data for quantifying organic contaminants, and the possibility of obtaining structural information for identifying target and non-target compounds, are discussed. The flexibility, high sensitivity and multi-stage tandem mass spectrometric capability of the QIT are all illustrated. Contemporary applications of this technique to study organic contaminants in food and environment are presented.