Validation of a Direct Analysis in Real Time Mass Spectrometry (DART-MS) method for the quantitation of six carbon sugars in a saccharification matrix

Abstract

A Direct Analysis in Real Time Mass Spectrometry (DART-MS) method for quantitation of six carbon sugars in saccharification matrix (solution used for the enzyme hydrolysis of switchgrass) was developed and validated. The DART ion source was used to produce ammonium adducts of the spiked glucose molecular ion and the d₂-glucose (internal standard) that were detected by scanning with a linear ion trap. Calibration curves were obtained over a linear range of 10 to 3000 μM with correlation coefficients better than 0.997 and method recoveries were 94.9% to 103.0%. Matrix effects were observed and managed with matrix-matching standards for generating calibration curves. Limits of detection and quantitation were 5.84 × 10⁻⁶ M and 1.95 × 10⁻⁵ M, respectively. These results indicate this method could be implemented for quantitation of glucose generated from saccharification samples.