Table 4.
Examples of HPLC-MS/MS methods for the detection of vitamins.
| Analysis Time (min) | Instrument Analysis Methods | Column | Mobile Phase | Limit of Detection (LOD) | Limit of Quantification (LOQ) | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 min | Flow-Injection Tandem Mass Spectrometry (Linear Ion-Trap Mass Spectrometer) | Cadenza CD-C18 column (4.6 × 250 mm, 3 μm) | A: 20 mM aqueous ammonium formate (pH 4); B: methanol. Gradient | 0.04–48.2 ng/g | 0.13–160.6 ng/g | [59] |
| 15 min | HPLC-APCI-MS/MS | Zorbax Eclipse ODS (4.6 × 250 mm, 5 μm) | Acetonitrile, isopropanol and water. Gradient | 0.2–0.6 ng/mL | 0.8–2 ng/mL | [60] |
| 26 min | High Performance Liquid Chromatography–Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry (HPLC–Msn) | Polaris C18 column (2.1 × 150 mm, 5 μm) | A: water; B: methanol. Gradient | no report | 0.1 μg/100 mL for all trans-retinol and α-tocopherol and 1 μg/100 mL for β-carotene | [61] |
| 15 min | LC-MS/MS | Zorbax SB-CN column (4.6 × 250 mm, 5 μm) | 34% water and 66% methanol. Isocratic | ∼0.15 ng/g | no report | [62] |
| 3 min | Ultra-Pressure Liquid Chromatography with Tandem Mass Spectrometry Detection (UPLC-MS/MS) | UPLC HSS C18 column (2.1 × 100 mm, 1.8 μm) | A: 2 mM NH4COOH; B: 2 mM NH4COOH: MeOH. Gradient | The LODs for vitamin D2 were reported as 0.20 and 0.61 μg/100 g, | The reported LOQ values for vitamin D3 were 0.47 and 1.44 μg/100 g | [63] |
| 6 min | Liquid Chromatography/Tandem Mass Spectrometry | Ascentis Express C18 column (4.6 × 50 mm, 2.7 μm) | A: Ammonium formate in MeOH; B: H2O. Gradient | 0.1 μM for all-trans retinol, 3.3 nM for 25-OH VD2 and 25-OH VD3 | no report | [64] |
| 5 min | Liquid Chromatography with Tandem-Mass Spectrometry | Prontosil C18 analytical column (3 × 250 mm, 3 μm) | 0.2% (v/v) formic acid. Isocratic | 13 ng/mL for AA and 11 ng/mL for DHAA | 44 ng/mL for ascorbic acid (AA) and 38 ng/mL for dehydroascorbic acid (DHAA) | [65] |
| 30 min | HPLC-MS/MS | ACE-100 C18 (2.1 × 100 mm, 3 μm) | A: 10 mM ammonium acetate solution (pH 4.5); B: MeOH with 0.1% acetic acid; C: MeOH with 0.3% acetic acid. Gradient | 0.07–170 ng/mL | 0.2–520 ng/mL | [66] |
| 12 min | HPLC-MS/MS | HSS T3 (2.1 × 150 mm, 1.7 μm) | A: 2 mM ammonium formate in water; B: 2 mM ammonium formate in methanol. Gradient | 0.02 μg/100 g | 0.12 μg/100 g | [67] |
| 30 min | LC-DAD-MS/MS | a Supelcosil C18 (4.6 mm × 50 mm, 5 μm) and an Alltima C18 (4.6 mm × 250 mm, 5 μm) for fat-soluble vitamins, ProntoSIL C30 column (4.6 × 250 mm, 3 μm) for carotenoids | A: Methanol; B: isopropanol/hexane (50:50, v/v). Gradient | 0.9–15.6 μg/L | 2.7–46.8 μg/L | [68] |
| 45 min | LC-MS/MS | Cadenza CD-C18 stationary phase (4.6 × 250 mm, 3 μm particles) | A: 20 mM ammonium formate (pH 4.0); B: methanol. Gradient | no report | no report | [69] |
| 8 min | UPLC-MS/MS | HSS T3 column (2.1 × 150 mm, 1.8 μm) | A: 0.1% of formic acid in water; B: 0.1% of formic acid in acetonitrile. Gradient | 0.06–0.45 μg/100 g | 0.12–0.91 μg/100 g | [70] |
| 12 min | HPLC-MS/MS | Pro C18 RS column (2.0 × 150 mm, 5 μm) | Methanol–10 mM ammonium formate containing 5 mM methylamine. Isocratic | 1.5 ng/mL | 3 ng/mL | [71] |
| 24min | UPLC-MS/MS | Alltima C18 column (2.1 × 150 mm, 3 μm) | Methanol acidified with 0.1% formic acid. Isocratic | 14 ng/L | 36 ng/L | [72] |
| 4 min | LC-MS/MS | MAX-RP (2.0 × 50 mm, 4 μm) column | A: 85% methanol, B: 15% ammonium acetate. Isocratic | 10 nmol/L | no report | [73] |
| 27 min | LC-MS/MS | HydroRP (2.0 × 250 mm, 4 um) column | A: 0.1% formic acid in water; B: 0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile. Gradient | no report | no report | [74] |
| 24 min | LC-LIT-MS | Polaris C18 column (2.1 × 150 mm, 5 μm) | A: Methanol: B: water containing 5 mM ammonium (92:8 v/v). Isocratic | no report | 0.01 μg/100 g | [75] |