Application of liquid chromatography–electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry for determination of dietary folates: Effects of buffer nature and mobile phase composition on sensitivity and selectivity

A sensitive and reliable liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) method to determine dietary folates was developed and validated. Folates were detected and quantified using positive electrospray ionisation (ESI) with selective ion monitoring of protonated ions [M+H]+. The effects of buffer nature and mobile phase composition on separation, peak shape and intensity of MS signal were investigated. The acidic–basic properties of folates were successfully used to predict possible ionisation patterns, but they were not sufficient to predict the intensity of MS signal and the proportion of different ionisation products, which indicated that other parameters, such as gas phase acidity/basicity of analytes and ion evaporation mechanisms might be important. The use of aqueous acetic acid as volatile buffer was found to be preferable compared to formic acid due to considerable gain in intensity of MS signal for all folate forms studied. Limits of quantifications were 0.3 ng/mL for 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and 0.6 ng/mL for tetrahydrofolate, 10-formylfolic acid, 5-formyltetrahydrofolate and folic acid when using 20 μL injection. For 10-formylfolic acid, 5-formyltetrahydrofolate and folic acid the MS detection was found to be superior over commonly used fluorescence and UV detection in terms of selectivity and sensitivity. The method was successfully applied to analysis of folates in baker's yeast.