STUDIES OF COPROSTANOL (5-BETA-CHOLESTAN-3-BETA-OL) IN ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLES BY TANDEM MASS SPECTROMETRY

摘要

Cholesterol, coprostanol, dihydrocholesterol, and epicoprostanol are the principal fecal sterols found in animal feces. Coprostanol, a sterol formed exclusively in the gut of man and higher mammals, has been recognized as a good indicator of pollution of water resources by sewage discharges. Because of structural similarities, complete resolution of chromatographic peaks presents a difficult task, especially for coprostanol and its epimers. In this paper, separation of coprostanol and epicoprostanol after conversion to their corresponding trimethylsilyl derivatives is described. Confirmation of the identity of coprostanol is achieved by tandem mass spectrometry. Interfering compounds can be eliminated by virtue of their different retention times or their mass spectra. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc. [References: 11]