Application of time-of-flight mass spectrometry to forensic medicine:biochemical weapons and doping

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

1. Setting up of the LC-TOFMS instrument and how to operate itThe instrument introduced was the state- of- the- art one. Its control system was highly advanced. Because its MS principle was quite different from those of the quadrupole and ion- trap MS instruments, we needed an appreciable time for familiarization to operate the system without any difficulty.2. Analysis of psilocin and psilocybin in magic mushroomsPsilocin is one of the most low- molecular and highly toxic compounds. Psilocybin, the precursor of psilocin, also shows hallucinogenic activities. Firstly, we established the procedure for their extraction from complicated matrices. Secondly, we tried to detect both psilocin and psilocybin by LC- TOFMS and LC- Qq- TOFMS, and compared their detection capabilities. There were notable differences in sensitivity between LC- TOFMS and LC- Qq- TOFMS. The detection limit was about 20 pg in an injected volume. Now we are using bufotenin, an isomer of psilocin, as internal standard to get better results.3. Analysis of amanitins by LC-TOFMSAmanitins being contained in Amanita virosa and Amanita verna are highly toxic; several milligrams of them can kill an adult human. This suggests that amanitins can be used as chemical warfare agents. The structures of amanitins are of cyclic peptides with molecular weights of more than 900 daltons. Using cyclosporine A as internal standard, a method for analysis of a - amanitin in mushrooms by LC-TOFMS was established. The detection limit of α- amanitin was about 50 pg in an injected volume.Setting up of a MALDI mass spectrometric imaging system and its application to forensjc medcineThe instrument QSTAR XL TOFMS introduced by the present Grant - in - Aid has an optional imaging system. We have set up the unique system, and are now trying to apply it to clarification of mechanisms for chronic psychiatric symptoms caused by methamphetamine and cocaine abuses using the model rats.