Comenius University, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine

We had the opportunity to use the MetAmino Kit^® for liquid chromatography (LC) in combination with mass spectrometry (MS) to determine polar substances in various biological matrices, such as culture media and blood serum or plasma. We can say without hesitation, that we were extremely satisfied with the obtained results. The kit provided us with all the necessary reagents, accessories and clear instructions to perform derivatization and analysis with high accuracy and sensitivity. One aspect that impressed us, was its simplicity of use. The instructions were clear and concise, which allowed us to quickly familiarize ourselves with the process.

The derivatization of substances itself is not so time-consuming and contributes to increasing the sensitivity of the determination of individual compounds. Thus, it reduces the limit of detection or quantification compared to other methods without derivatization. It is therefore possible to determine substances that are present in low concentrations. It is suitable for the analysis of substances that are difficult to quantify, using other methods, such as polyamines. At the same time, it is also possible to determine substances with a low molecular weight that can be degraded in the ion source. From our own experience we can mention glycine, alanine, and serine as problematic, which under normal circumstances can decarboxylate under the influence of high voltage, which we managed to prevent by using the MetAmino kit. Subsequently, we managed to successfully determine them in our samples. It is therefore a suitable complementary method to other methods that are limited in this respect. Another advantage is the short time of the LC-MS analysis itself and the simple evaluation of the obtained data.

Overall, we are more than satisfied with this liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry kit. It provides excellent results, is easy to use and has contributed to the successful execution of our research projects. We recommend it to all laboratories and researchers who need a reliable tool for the identification and quantification of molecules.

Mgr. Radovan Murín, Ph.D. & Mgr. Jakub Šofranko