HIGH-RESOLUTION GAS CHROMATOGRAPHIC REAL-TIME HIGH-RESOLUTION MASS-SPECTROMETRIC IDENTIFICATION OF ORGANIC-ACIDS IN HUMAN-URINE

A specialized gas chromatography/mass spectrometry/ computer (GC/MS/COM) system is described which combines the efficiency of high resolution gas chromatography (HRGC) with the accurate mass capability of high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and is used to augument other GC/MS systems in analysis of unknowns in the organic acid fraction of urine. The operational characteristics of this HRGC/HRMS system have been defined so that data obtained from other GC/MS systems can be correlated to it. The identification of quinic acid in normal urine by HRGC/HRMS demonstrates the potential application of this system in a collaborative investigation. In addition, the utility of accurate mass data In complex mixture analysis is examined. Chromatographic data presented for a group of selected compounds from our parallel HRGC/FID, HRGC/LRMS, and HRGC/HRMS systems demonstrate the reproducibility of the glass capillary column. These data and the mass spectral data obtained are in general agreement with those from other GC/MS systems. © 1979, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.