Development of methodology for the use of multi-bed sorbent traps with gas chromatography time of flight mass spectrometry

The lipid peroxidation of unsaturated fatty acids in cellular membranes leads to the formation of alkanes, aldehydes, alkanals, alk-2-enals, and hydroxyl alkenals. The free radicals formed during the process of lipid peroxidation can react with and damage cellular components. Lipid peroxidation is known to cause a number of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Various analytical methods that include spectrometric assays and chromatographic analyses of derivatized products are available for the detection of the lipid peroxidation products. The development of rapid, non-invasive monitoring of reactions occurring in biological systems, such as cell cultures, is highly desirable, as such analyses could yield reaction profiles in near-real time. In this study, the utility of a multibed sorbent trap was explored for potential use as a preconcentration step in the analysis of volatile products of lipid peroxidation in biological systems. The trap was integrated into a fully-automated system in which samples are drawn to the trap via vacuum and injected into the GCMS. Results of these studies indicate that a sorbent trap- based inlet system coupled with GCMS should prove useful in the near-real time detection of volatile organic compounds from biological samples