This application note evaluates the ability of an ultrafast SPE/MS/MS system (Agilent RapidFire high-throughput MS system) which is capable of analysis times of <10 seconds per sample to analyze levetiracetam in human serum.
Mass spectrometry-based analyses have emerged as a viable analytical method due to their sensitivity, specificity, and robustness. In this application, the Agilent RapidFire/MS System is shown to have comparable accuracy, precision, linearity, and sensitivity to LC/MS/MS, but with a 10-fold faster sample analysis cycle time.
Experimental
Experimental conditions can be found by downloading the full application note.
Results and Discussion
Prepared calibration standards and commercially available quality controls were analyzed using a RapidFire/MS system in triplicate over a series of days to establish both intra- and interday precision and accuracy. Levetiracetam (both the quantifier and qualifier ions) had intra- and interday accuracies within 15% and coefficient of variation values less than 10% for all concentrations within the linear range. This method had excellent linearity within the measured range of 1 to 100 μg/mL with an R2 value greater than 0.995.
Conclusion
Based on these results, levetiracetam can be accurately and precisely measured in human serum using the Agilent RapidFire/MS system at rates of 9.5 seconds per sample. While the analytical results of human samples were comparable to LC/MS/MS, the analysis time was approximately 10 times faster. RapidFire/MS may be useful for the fast and efficient analysis of similar targets of clinical research.