Issue 45, 2016, Issue in Progress

LC-MS/MS signal enhancement for estrogenic hormones in water samples using experimental design

Abstract

This paper describes optimization of LC-MS/MS conditions to develop a method for selective and sensitive determination of estrogens, namely: estradiol (E2), estrone (E1), estriol (E3), and synthetic estrogen as ethinyl estradiol (EE2) by using statistical experimental design methods. The optimization studies were conducted in three stages: (i) determination of minimum alkaline volume ratio (0–17% NH4OH at 0.2 M) in mobile phase to maximize peak area by single factor experimental design; (ii) optimization of LC elution conditions including flow rate, acetonitrile concentration in standard and in mobile phase by Box–Behnken response surface method (RSM), and (iii) optimization of LC-MS/MS conditions for seven factors to maximize peak areas by Box–Behnken RSM. NH4OH volume ratio significantly affected the peak area and it was maximized at 3–5% volume ratio. Predicted optimal LC elution conditions were % ACNstandard: 28, % ACNmobile:44 and flow rate of 137 μL min−1. The optimum instrumental conditions were determined as sheath gas pressure:33 arbitrary unit (Arb), ion sweep gas pressure: 0.4 Arb, aux gas pressure: 17 Arb, capillary temperature: 254 °C, vaporizer temperature: 352 °C, collision gas pressure: 1.9 mTorr, and spray voltage: 2740 V. Optimization provided substantial improvements in peak symmetry and resolution factor and a 20–25 times peak signal gain with respect to the instrumental self-optimized condition at detection limits of ng L−1 levels were achieved. The lower detection limits were obtained by coupling the method with a SPE procedure for attaining high pre-concentration factors. The signal enhancement was about three orders of magnitude, which constitutes a remarkable sensitivity of the method.

Graphical abstract: LC-MS/MS signal enhancement for estrogenic hormones in water samples using experimental design

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
11 Mar 2016
Accepted
29 Mar 2016
First published
31 Mar 2016

RSC Adv., 2016,6, 39188-39197

LC-MS/MS signal enhancement for estrogenic hormones in water samples using experimental design

I. Karapinar, F. N. Ertaş, B. Şahintürk, C. Aftafa and E. Kiliç, RSC Adv., 2016, 6, 39188 DOI: 10.1039/C6RA06526K

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