Short column gas chromatography mass spectrometry and principal component analysis for the identification of coeluted substances in doping control analysis

The identification of four doping control substances in an artificial mixture, using short column gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (CC-MS) analysis was examined. Two chromatographic peaks were recorded in the chromatogram, using a short capillary column (1.8 m) at an oven temperature of 180 degrees C. The first peak was associated with a mixture of a solvent derivative and an artifact. The second one corresponded to the mixture of four control substances. Principal component analysis was applied on a selected CC-Ms data set of the latter peak to determine clear full spectra of pure substances from mixture spectra. The time of GC-MS analysis was significantly reduced to less than 1 min from 30 min which is a typical GC-MS analysis time, using standard methods of doping control analysis. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.