Identification of Polyamines in Human Milk, Formula Milk, and Other Dairy Products: a Special Method Based on
Li Wang1, Yating Sun2, Linjing Dong2
1Core Facilities, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, 101 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing 211166, PR China.
Abstract:
Polyamines in human milk are essential for the rapid growth and development of neonates and infants. However, the concentrations of polyamines in human milk have not been well characterized and the special methods for detecting polyamines in human milk, formula milk, or other dairy products remain largely unavailable to date. In this study, an accurate and sensitive method based on trifluoroacetic acid anhydride (TFAA) derivatization, double solid-phase extraction (SPE) purification, and gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-QqQ MS) was established for the evaluation of polyamines in human milk, formula milk, and other dairy products. High coefficients of determination for internal calibration curves were obtained (R2 > 0.99). Low limits of detection (5.0, 1.0, and 0.5 nmol/dL) and limits of quantification (10.0, 3.0, and 1.0 nmol/dL) for putrescine, spermidine, and spermine, respectively, were also achieved. The precision (expressed as relative standard deviation, RSD < 9.0%) and recovery rates (78.3-108.4%) were satisfactory. Spermidine and spermine in human milk were found significantly higher than those in formula milk and commercial cow's milk. The difference of polyamine content in human milk and infant formula should be paid attention to, particularly when infant formula is used as a complete replacement for human milk.
Related Concept Videos
Mass Spectrometry of Amines
Amines undergo fragmentation through α cleavage, producing nitrogen-containing cations—iminium ions—and alkyl radicals. Mass spectra of aromatic and cyclic aliphatic amines exhibit...
Mass Spectrometry: Amine Fragmentation
In amines, the number of nitrogen atoms affects the mass of the molecular ion, which is described by the nitrogen rule of mass spectrometry. This rule states that a compound containing...
Peptide Identification Using Tandem Mass Spectrometry
This technique helps gather information regarding the protein from which the peptide was obtained and to study the peptides’ amino acid sequence. Identifying peptides from a complex mixture is an important component of the growing field of...
Mass Spectrum: Interpretation
To...
Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS)
A gas chromatograph consists of a long, narrow capillary column with a polysiloxane coating on the inner wall....


