A rapid qualitative analysis of natural products by atmospheric solids analysis probe mass spectrometry (ASAP-MS)

A number of techniques are used for qualitative analysis of natural products, such as thin-layer chromatography (TLC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography (GC), and even DNA analysis. Many of these techniques require sample preparation that can become very tedious and time-consuming. The application of the atmospheric solids analysis probe coupled with a mass spectrometer (ASAP-MS) allows for qualitative data to be acquired very rapidly (within seconds), eliminates the need for standards, and also requires minimal preparatory work. Various plant and fungi samples with application to food, drugs and cosmetics were gathered from the University of the Sciences herbarium collection and wild populations and were scanned for detection of specific indicative compounds for identification. For example, a crude opium (Papaver somniferum) sample produced molecular ions indicating the presence of morphine, codeine, papaverine and noscapine. Preliminary experiments have also shown the application of ASAP-MS to identification of major active components in commercially available food, drug and cosmetic products.