Analytical Sciences

Determination of Menadione by Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry Using Pseudo Multiple Reaction Monitoring

Maya KAMAO,*1 Yoshihisa HIROTA,*2 Yoshitomo SUHARA,*3 Naoko TSUGAWA,*4 Kimie NAKAGAWA,*1 Toshio OKANO,*1 and Hiroshi HASEGAWA*1

*1 Department of Hygienic Sciences, Kobe Pharmaceutical University, 4-19-1 Motoyamakita-machi, Higashinada, Kobe 658-8558, Japan
*2 Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Bioscience and Engineering, College of Systems Engineering and Science, Shibaura Institute of Technology, 307 Fukasaku, Minuma, Saitama 337-8570, Japan
*3 Laboratory of Organic Synthesis and Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Bioscience and Engineering, College of Systems Engineering and Science, Shibaura Institute of Technology, 307 Fukasaku, Minuma, Saitama 337-8570, Japan
*4 Laboratory of Public Health, Faculty of Health and Nutrition, Osaka Shoin Women’s University, 4-2-26 Hishiya-nishi, Higashiosaka, Osaka 577-8550, Japan

This study aimed to develop a menadione (MD) determination method employing liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) using a pseudo multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) technique, wherein two quadrupoles are used to monitor the same ion. Detection limits of 40 and 2 pg were obtained for MD and its deuterium-labeled form, respectively, whereas MD intra- and inter-assay coefficient of variation values were determined as 5.4 – 8.2%, with the corresponding recoveries equaling 90.5 – 109.6%. The developed method enables determination of MD in urine, plasma, cell extract, and culture media, demonstrating that pseudo multiple reaction monitoring can achieve quantification of compounds forming no suitable product ions, such as MD.

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