Improvements In Quantitative Gas Phase Analysis Of Catecholamines In the Picomole Range By Electron-Capture Detection and Mass Fragmentography Of Their Pentafluorobenzylimine-Trimethylsilyl Derivatives

Abstract

Conditions of formation and stability of pentafluorobenzylimine-trimethylsilyl derivatives are optimized for the quantitation of catecholamines in the picomole range by gas phase analysis. The sensitivity, specificity and dynamics of linear response of electron-capture detection and multiple ion detection are compared. The highest sensitivity was obtained with a pulsed electron-capture detector which allows quantitation down to 10 pg of six primary amines of biological interest. The specificity of the analysis is improved considerably by using the mass fragmentographic method on the same derivatized sample as shown by the assay of norepinephrine and dopamine on a rat adrenal extract.