Determination of calcium acetylhomotaurinate in human plasma and urine by combined gas chromatography-negative-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry.

A highly sensitive and specific assay has been developed for the determination of calcium acetylhomotaurinate and the internal standard (LM 3041) at the picomole level in human plasma and urine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with methane as the reagent gas. After a multiple-step extraction process, the cleaned-up organic extract was derivatized with pentafluorobenzoyl chloride at ambient temperature. Subsequently, chlorination followed by amidation of the sulphonic acid group led to the N-pentafluorobenzoyl di-n-butylamide derivatives. The mass spectrometer was set to monitor the abundant [M - HF]- ions (m/z 424 and 438), which were generated in the ion source switched in the negative-ion chemical ionization mode. This assay required 1 ml of plasma or 50 microliters of urine, and the detection limit was 1 ng/ml. The accuracy of the assay was tested day by day with quality control specimens spiked blind to the analyst. The mean difference between the theoretical and actual values was less than 8%.