Browsing by Subject "steroids"
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(2011)Here, we demonstrate the application of desorption atmospheric pressure photoionization (DAPPI) as a screening method at the Criminal Laboratory of the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation for samples confiscated by the Finnish criminal police. DAPPI is a fast mass spectrometric technique to analysis compounds directly from the sample surface in ambient atmosphere. In DAPPI, the sample is thermally desorbed from the sample surface using hot solvent vapor, after which the analytes are ionised in the gas-phase by photon-initiated gas-phase reactions. DAPPI was applied to the direct analysis of confiscated drugs, anabolic steroids and explosives of various matrices without any sample preparation. Confiscated drug samples included e.g. tablets, powders, herbal mixtures, herbal products [Catha edulis (khat) leaves, opium, Cannabis sativa, Psilocybe mushrooms] and ampules and tablets containing anabolic steroids. Powders were sprinkled on a 2-sided tape on a microscope slide, after which the excess powder was shaken away from the tape surface. Liquid samples were analysed from a kitchen paper, after application of 1 Äl of oil from ampules. Other samples were analysed by simply placing them on the DAPPI sampling stage and by directing the solvent plume on the sample surface. DAPPI proved to be a fast and specific analysis technique to this type of forensic analysis. DAPPI does not require any sample preparation, which therefore is well suited for fast forensic analysis, especially for plant samples and oily anabolic steroids, which are considered very challenging with conventional methods. Contamination of the mass spectrometer could be avoided by adjustment of the distance of the sample from the mass spectrometer inlet. Memory effects or contamination of the MS instrument were not observed even after several weeks of DAPPI measurements. DAPPI was also used for trace detection of the explosives trinitrotoluene (TNT), nitroglycol (NK), nitroglycerine (NG), penitrit (PETN), cyclonite (RDX), octogen (HMX) and picric acid. These organic explosives are nitrated compounds, which are divided based on their chemical structure into nitroaromatics (TNT and picric acid), nitroamines (RDX and HMX) and nitrate esters (PETN, NG and NK). Explosive dilutions were analysed with DAPPI from a polymer surface [poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA] after application and drying of 1 Äl of sample. Also forensic analysis of post-blast residues from different matrices were done. DAPPI was effective in the ionisation of nitroamines and nitrate esters as their adducts with anions such as nitrate, acetate, formate and acetate. TNT used to form negative molecular ions through electron capture and picric acid formed deprotonated molecules through proton transfer. A DAPPI-MS method was developed for all explosives but the identification of the very low concentration explosive traces from wild variety of matrices proved to be difficult.
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(2010)Steroid hormones are involved in many physiological functions such as stress response and the maintenance of salt-water balance and pregnancy. Concentrations of steroids in the body fluids are generally very low (below ng/ml). Steroid hormones are metabolically associated and changes in mutual concentration levels of different steroids may signify a disease. Methods that allow the measurement of various steroids simultaneously are of great importance in investigating the role of steroid metabolism for example in formation of cancer. The aim of this work was to develop a sensitive and selective method for simultaneous quantification of 16 steroids in plasma. Nano liguid chromatography-microchip electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (nanoLC-µESI-MS/MS) was used in order to achieve good sensitivity. C18 enrichment column and separation column, and an electrospray tip were integrated onto the chip that was used in this work. Mass spectrometric parameters were optimized by using a MS calibration and diagnostic chip. It was noticed that the structure of steroids plays an important role on how the compound behave in electrospray ionization. Steroids with 4,5-ene-3-one-structure had much lower limits of detection than steroids without conjugated double bonds (0,075-0,5 ng/ml and 5-25 ng/ml respectively). The chosen sample pretreatment method to extract the steroids from plasma did not work properly, because it was able to extract only a third of the compound's real concentration. Analysis of some compounds was also difficult because of the background noise coming from plasma. The method development was therefore decided to continue with eight steroids that were well detectable and had 4,5-ene-3-one-structure. The limits of detection were 0,075-0,5 ng/ml in biological matrix for these compounds. Eight knock out and seven wild type mouse plasma samples were analyzed using the validated method. The method was able to quantify aldosterone, corticosterone and androstenedione. Developed method did not meet all the aims of this work. Derivatizated compounds, different equipment or totally new method should be used in order to accomplish the aims.
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