IDENTIFICATION OF TRICHOTHECENES BY FRIT-FAST ATOM BOMBARDMENT LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY-HIGH-RESOLUTION MASS-SPECTROMETRY

Frit-fast atom bombardment liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-frit-FAB-MS) provides a specific and reliable method for the identification of trichothecenes without derivatization. The frit-FAB spectra exhibit an abundant glycerol adduct ion, a protonated molecule and fragment ions formed by the losses of functional groups in various combinations. The use of high-resolution mass spectrometry in LC-frit-FAB-MS provides improved selectivity in the monitoring and makes the determination of the elemental compositions of the ions possible. The measured mass values with resolution 8000 were typically within 5 mmu of the calculated values. Sensitivity in the range of hundreds of picograms per microlitre was achieved with resolution 8000 using selected ion monitoring in the detection of trichothecenes.