Fast analysis using monolithic columns coupled with high-flow on-line extraction and electrospray mass spectrometric...

In this work, monolithic columns were used as a fast separation tool for multiple-component quantitative liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) assays of drug candidates in biological fluids. A considerably reduced runtime was achieved while maintaining good chromatographic separations. This significantly improved separation speed demanded higher throughput on sample extraction. To this end, monolithic separations were coupled on-line with high-flow extraction, which allowed for the fast extraction and separation of samples containing multiple analytes. An evaluation of this system was performed using a mixture of fenfluramine, temazepam, oxazepam, and tamoxifen in plasma. A total cycle time of 1.2 min was achieved which included both sample extraction and subsequent monolithic column separation via column switching. A total of over 400 plasma samples were analyzed in less than 10 h. The sensitivity and responses were reproducible throughout the run. The system has been routinely used in the authors' laboratory for high-throughput quantitation of compounds in biological fluids in support of drug discovery programs. The assay for samples from a 9-in-1 dog pharmacokinetic study is shown as an example to demonstrate the capability of this system.