Application of Routine Analysis Procedures to a Direct Mass Spectrometry Technique: Selected Ion Flow Tube Mass Spectrometry (SIFT-MS)

In recent years the environmental and human health impacts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have become more apparent, resulting in increased analysis demand. The gold-standard chromatographic techniques continue to be employed for most laboratory analyses. However, they have made only modest gains in productivity over the years, and these gains are primarily due to automated sample preparation and injection. Alternatively, significant productivity gains for VOC analysis through faster sample analysis and reduced instrument maintenance could be achieved by adopting direct mass spectrometry techniques such as selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS). This article demonstrates that routine analysis techniques such as quality control checks, method validation, the method of standard additions, and internal standards are readily applied to SIFT-MS, simplifying adoption of the technique. In addition, workflows for analysis of chromatographically challenging species are simplified by using SIFT-MS. Sample throughputs are increased two- to 25-fold depending on the analytical procedure.

Mechanistic Insights into Alzheimer’s Disease Unveiled through the Investigation of Disturbances in Central Metabolites and Metabolic Pathways

Hydrophilic metabolites are closely involved in multiple primary metabolic pathways and, consequently, play an essential role in the onset and progression of multifactorial human disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease. This review article provides a comprehensive revision of the literature published on the use of mass spectrometry-based metabolomics platforms for approaching the central metabolome in Alzheimer’s disease research, including direct mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry. Overall, mounting evidence points to profound disturbances that affect a multitude of central metabolic pathways, such as the energy-related metabolism, the urea cycle, the homeostasis of amino acids, fatty acids and nucleotides, neurotransmission, and others.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A METHOD FOR DIRECT MASS SPECTROMETRIC ANALYSIS OF BIOLOGICAL SAMPLES USING POROUS SAMPLERS

The paper presents a method for rapid multi-omics investigation of biological samples using polypropylene bulk porous samplers. The use of porous samplers makes it easy to collect samples from the surface of the skin, mucous membranes, and biological fluids even in a field, and the surfaces of wounds and injuries. Collected samples do not require special storage conditions, and the samplers are lightweight and very compact. They can be used to monitor the condition of cosmonauts before, during, and after the spaceflight with the same sample collection method. The analysis of biomaterial applied to the sampler is performed using direct mass spectrometry methods, similar to the dried blood spot technique that is already used in clinical practice. However, bulk porous samplers allow expanding the range of analytes ionization conditions, which increases the stability and reliability of the ionization process, which expands the variety of analyzed molecules. The proposed method can be used to study compounds of various classes, including proteins, lipids, and metabolites, to systematically monitor the status of people in extreme conditions (athletes, astronauts), or to study the condition of patients in the clinic.