The application of normal phase liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry by using coaxial continuous flow fast atom bombardment.

This article describes the interfacing of a normal phase fused silica capillary high performance liquid chromatography system to a magnetic sector mass spectrometer by using continuous flow fast atom bombardment (CFFAB). While the performance of CFFAB using reversed phase techniques is well understood, there is very little if any documentation on interfacing nonaqueous normal phase systems with CFFAB. This article describes the use of packed fused silica capillary liquid chromatography columns and the corresponding normal phase solvent systems. The experimental parameters required with nonaqueous solvent systems differ significantly from those of aqueous solvent systems. Ditallowdimethylammonium chloride (DTDMAC), a cationic surfactant commonly used as the active ingredient in fabric softener products, was chosen as a model compound to demonstrate the technique. DTDMAC was identified in a commercially available fabric softener product by using on-line normal phase liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry with accurate mass and tandem mass spectrometry.