Detection of Plant-Derived Natural Toxins by Probe Electrospray Ionization Kit and LC-MS

Significance of the Topic

Plant-derived natural toxins pose significant risks to human health and food safety.
Rapid and reliable detection methods are essential to prevent food poisoning and ensure quality control.

Study Objectives and Overview

This study demonstrates a novel workflow combining direct probe electrospray ionization (PESI) with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry to identify natural toxins in Colchicum autumnale and Narcissus tazetta.
The approach aims to streamline sample preparation and deliver high-accuracy mass data without chromatographic separation or internal standards.

Methodology

• Samples: Bulb and leaf sections (1–2 mm thick) of C. autumnale and N. tazetta placed in wells with 35 μL 50% ethanol.
• Direct sampling: A PESI probe repeatedly contacts the sample surface for ionization.
• MS settings: Positive mode, m/z 50–2000, data acquisition 0.5 min per sample.

Instrumentation

• DPiMS QT probe electrospray ionization kit
• LCMS-9050 quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer
• LabSolutions Insight Explore software for accurate mass analysis and structural estimation

Main Results and Discussion

• C. autumnale: Detected metabolites (choline, arginine, hexose) and toxins demecolcine and colchicine with mass errors below 0.2 mDa.
• Colchicine (m/z 400.1757) formula C22H25NO6 confirmed by isotopic pattern and database search.
• N. tazetta: Identified tazettine, lycorine, galantamine alongside common metabolites, with MS/MS spectra matching standards.
• High mass accuracy enabled confident formula prediction and fragment attribution without internal calibration.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Simplified pretreatment (≈5 min) and rapid measurement (0.5 min) reduce analysis time compared to LC/MS.
• Direct analysis accommodates highly to moderately polar compounds without chromatographic separation.
• Stable mass accuracy removes the need for calibration standards, enhancing operational efficiency.

Future Trends and Applications

• Expansion to diverse plant matrices and toxin classes for food and environmental monitoring.
• Integration with portable mass spectrometers for in-field rapid screening.
• Development of automated workflows incorporating advanced data analysis and larger spectral databases.

Conclusion

The combination of PESI-based DPiMS QT and LCMS-9050 Q-TOF offers a fast, accurate, and versatile platform for detecting plant natural toxins.
Its minimal sample preparation and high-throughput capability position it as a valuable tool in food safety and analytical research.

References

• Iida T, Nakagawa K. Detection of Plant-Derived Natural Toxins by Probe Electrospray Ionization Kit and LC-MS. Shimadzu Application News. 2025.