High throughput quantification of prohibited substances in plasma using thin film solid phase microextraction

• An automated SPME method for the analysis of doping agents in plasma is proposed.
• 25 compounds of a wide range of polarities were satisfactorily quantified.
• A hydrophilic–lipophilic balanced (HLB) SPME coating showed satisfactory coverage.
• Since 96 samples can be simultaneously prepared, 1.5 min per sample can be achieved.
• Minimum sample handling before SPME extraction is required.

Simple, fast and efficient sample preparation approaches that allow high-throughput isolation of various compounds from complex matrices are highly desired in bioanalysis. Particularly sought are methods that can, without sacrificing time, easily remove matrix interferences capable of inducing ionization suppression/enhancement, or causing detrimental effects in instrumental performance. In this work, an automated high-throughput sample preparation method using thin film solid phase microextraction (SPME) for the analysis of multiple prohibited substances in plasma is proposed. A biocompatible SPME extraction phase made of hydrophilic–lipophilic balance particles immobilized with polyacrylonitrile (PAN) demonstrated satisfactory extraction capabilities for 25 compounds of a wide range of polarities (log P from −2 to 6.8). Due to the well-known biocompatible characteristics of PAN-based SPME coatings, minimum sample handling was required. Experimental conditions for pre-conditioning, extraction, wash and desorption were carefully optimized for the proposed method. By taking full advantage of the 96 thin film handling capability of the automated system, a preparation time of approximately 1.5 min per sample can be achieved. Satisfactory results in terms of absolute matrix effects were found for the majority of the studied analytes, given that 24 out of 25 compounds exhibited values in the range of 100 and 120%. The method was validated in terms of linearity (R2 > 0.99), inter and intra-day accuracy (85–130%) and precision (<20%) and limits of quantitation (0.25–10 ng mL−1 for most compounds).