A high throughput mass spectrometry screening analysis based on two-dimensional carbon microfiber fractionation system

A novel high-throughput, solvent saving and versatile integrated two-dimensional microscale carbon fiber/active carbon fiber system (2DμCFs) that allows a simply and rapid separation of compounds in low-polar, medium-polar and high-polar fractions, has been coupled with ambient ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-Q-TOF-MS and ESI-QqQ-MS) for screening and quantitative analyses of real samples. 2DμCFs led to a substantial interference reduction and minimization of ionization suppression effects, thus increasing the sensitivity and the screening capabilities of the subsequent MS analysis. The method has been applied to the analysis of Schisandra Chinensis extracts, obtaining with a single injection a simultaneous determination of 33 compounds presenting different polarities, such as organic acids, lignans, and flavonoids in less than 7 min, at low pressures and using small solvent amounts. The method was also validated using 10 model compounds, giving limit of detections (LODs) ranging from 0.3 to 30 ng mL−1, satisfactory recoveries (from 75.8 to 93.2%) and reproducibilities (relative standard deviations, RSDs, from 1.40 to 8.06%).