Transcend DSX-1 System Automated dried spot analysis

Importance of the Topic

Dried spot sampling has emerged as a powerful approach for minimally invasive collection of biological fluids for clinical research and drug monitoring. Automating the dried spot workflow addresses challenges in sample integrity, throughput, and traceability that hinder traditional manual methods.

Objectives and Study Overview

This study evaluates the performance of a fully automated dried spot analysis system combining the Transcend DSX-1 UHPLC platform with TurboFlow online sample cleanup and a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer for quantifying tramadol and its metabolites across diverse matrices including whole blood, saliva, serum, and urine.

Methodology and Instrumentation

• Sample preparation: Automatic spotting of 96-position card racks using a leak-tight clamp for sealed flow-through desorption.
• Online cleanup: TurboFlow technology performs 2D chromatography with high-velocity turbulent flow to remove macromolecules and concentrate analytes.
• Instrument control: Aria MX software handles card imaging traceability, pump operation, valve switching, internal standard addition, and LC-MS/MS acquisition.
• Detection: TSQ Altis triple quadrupole mass spectrometer operating under optimized MRM conditions.

Key Results and Discussion

• The automated workflow reduced analysis time per card to approximately 9 minutes compared with 2.5–3 hours for manual protocols.
• Calibration was linear (R2 greater than 0.99) from 5 to 400 ng/mL with relative standard deviations below 20% in all matrices.
• Accuracy and precision across whole blood, saliva, serum, and urine met bioanalytical criteria with biases and coefficients of variation below 20%.
• Internal standard peak area remained consistent over 40 injections, demonstrating system robustness and reproducibility.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• High-throughput screening for clinical research, therapeutic drug monitoring, anti-doping, and toxicology.
• Enhanced sample traceability via pre- and post-analysis imaging and barcode tracking.
• Reduced labor time and manual errors through full automation.
• Minimal sample preparation enables rapid deployment in regulated environments.

Future Trends and Opportunities

Emerging directions include expanding analyte panels and matrices, leveraging high-resolution and AI-driven data analytics, improving portability for point-of-care testing, and integrating automated dried spot sampling with cloud-based laboratory information management systems to accelerate real-time decision support.

Conclusion

The integrated Transcend DSX-1 system streamlines dried spot workflows delivering fast, accurate, and reproducible quantitation of tramadol in multiple biological fluids. Its automation and traceability features offer significant advantages over manual methods for high-throughput clinical and regulatory applications.

Instrumentation

• Transcend DSX-1 UHPLC with flow-through desorption and high pressure dispenser.
• TurboFlow online sample cleanup technology.
• Aria MX and TraceFinder software for instrument control and data analysis.
• TSQ Altis triple quadrupole mass spectrometer.