Reliable Sample Preparation for Neonatal Screening

摘要

Genevac reports on how its hydrochloric acid (HCI) resistant EZ-2 evaporator offers significant benefits to clinical labs tasked with analysing plasma, blood or urine samples for neonatal disorders. In new born infants, tandem Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) is a widely used analytical technique to identify metabolic neonatal disorders which include aminoacidemia's, urea cycle disorders, organic acidurias, and fatty acid oxidation disease. Sample preparation techniques widely used in neonatal screening include solvent extraction, acid derivatisation and evaporation prior to reconstitution in a suitable medium for injection into the LC/MS/MS system. Evaporation of the butanol / HCI solvent mixture, commonly used for derivatisation, using blowdown techniques creates acid vapours which often results in corrosion of the system especially the pins/needles/jets which can lead to contamination of samples and erroneous results. Additionally, acid vapours evolved may damage other nearby equipment and fume extraction systems.