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Updated: Jan 25, 2026

Identification and Quantification of Deranged Metabolites in Critically Ill Patients Using NMR-Based Metabolomics
Published on: November 29, 2024
NMR for sample quality assessment in metabolomics
Veronica Ghini1, Deborah Quaglio2, Claudio Luchinat3
1Center of Magnetic Resonance (CERM), University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino FI, Italy.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) methods were developed to assess how pre-analytical treatments affect biological sample quality for metabolomics. These findings informed technical specifications for sample handling and long-term storage.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
- Biobanking
Background:
- Metabolomics relies on high-quality biological samples.
- Pre-analytical variables significantly impact metabolomic data integrity.
- Standardized pre-analytical procedures are crucial for reliable results.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) based methods for assessing biological sample quality.
- To investigate the impact of various pre-analytical treatments on urine, blood serum, and plasma.
- To establish standardized pre-analytical procedures for metabolomics research and biobanking.
Main Methods:
- Systematic simulation of pre-analytical procedures on biological samples.
- Application of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy for quality assessment.
- Analysis of urine, blood serum, and plasma samples under different conditions.
- Evaluation of long-term storage effects on sample integrity.
Main Results:
- NMR methods effectively evaluated the impact of pre-analytical variations on sample quality.
- Key findings contributed to the development of CEN technical specifications (CEN/TS 16945).
- Extended analysis confirmed the impact of sample type and long-term storage on metabolomic profiles.
Conclusions:
- Standardized pre-analytical sample handling is essential for robust metabolomics.
- NMR is a valuable tool for quality control in biological sample processing.
- The developed specifications support the advancement of metabolomics research and clinical diagnostics.
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