Screening and confirmation criteria for hormone residue analysis using liquid chromatography accurate mass time-of-flight, Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance and orbitrap mass spectrometry techniques Original Research Article

An emerging trend is recognised in hormone and veterinary drug residue analysis from liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) based screening and confirmation towards accurate mass alternatives such as LC coupled with time-of-flight (TOF), Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) or Fourier transform orbitrap (FT Orbitrap) MS. In this study, mass resolution and accuracy are discussed for LC/MS screening and confirmation of targeted analytes and for the identification of unknowns using the anabolic steroid stanozolol and the designer β-agonist “Clenbuterol-R” as model substances. It is shown theoretically and experimentally that mass accuracy criteria without proper mass resolution criteria yield false compliant (false negative) results, both in MS screening and MS/MS confirmation of stanozolol. On the other hand, previous medium resolution accurate mass TOFMS/MS data of the designer β-agonist were fully confirmed by high resolution FT Orbitrap MSn experiments. A discussion is initiated through a proposal for additional criteria for the use of accurate mass LC/MS technologies, to be implemented in Commission Decision 2002/657/EC.