From fundamentals in calibration to modern methodologies: A tutorial for small molecules quantification in liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry bioanalysis

Abstract

Over the last two decades, liquid chromatography coupled to mass-spectrometry (LC‒MS) has become the gold standard to perform qualitative and quantitative analyses of small molecules. When quantitative analysis is developed, an analyst usually refers to international guidelines for analytical method validation. In this context, the design of calibration curves plays a key role in providing accurate results. During recent years and along with instrumental advances, strategies to build calibration curves have dramatically evolved, introducing innovative approaches to improve quantitative precision and throughput. For example, when a labeled standard is available to be spiked directly into the study sample, the concentration of the unlabeled analog can be easily determined using the isotopic pattern deconvolution or the internal calibration approach, eliminating the need for multipoint calibration curves. This tutorial aims to synthetize the advances in LC‒MS quantitative analysis for small molecules in complex matrices, going from fundamental aspects in calibration to modern methodologies and applications. Different work schemes for calibration depending on the sample characteristics (analyte and matrix nature) are distinguished and discussed. Finally, this tutorial outlines the importance of having international guidelines for analytical method validation that agree with the advances in calibration strategies and analytical instrumentation.

Keywords: Absolute quantification; Calibration methodologies; Relative quantification; Semiquantification; Surrogate analyte; Surrogate matrix.