Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry of carotenoids

摘要: Carotenoids are natural pigments synthesized by plants and photosynthetic microorganisms, some of which, like β-carotene, precursors vitamin A, others such as lutein lycopene might function in the prevention age-related macular degeneration prostate cancer, respectively. Mass spectrometry provides high sensitivity selectivity for identification quantitative analysis carotenoids biological samples, previous studies have described how atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) offers distinct advantages over electrospray fast atom bombardment specific carotenoids. Since APCI product ion tandem mass spectra been reported only a few carotenoids, detailed investigation twelve carotenes xanthophylls was carried out using both positive negative with collision-induced dissociation. Using protonated molecules precursor ions mode radical anions mode, characteristic fragment were identified that may be used to distinguish between