Determination of statins by gas chromatography – EI/MRM – Tandem mass spectrometry: Fermentation of pine samples with Pleurotus ostreatus

• GC–EI-MS/MS technique in statin analyses.
• MRM in quantification.
• Determination of statins in wood based fluids.
• Hydrolysation of pine with Pleurotus ostreatus.

Statins were separated and quantified with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–EI-MS/MS) using total ion monitoring (TIC) and multiple reactions monitoring (MRM). The MRM method in statins determination has a novelty value, since there are no previous studies on their simultaneous analysis in environmental or plant samples. The method development and optimization was challenging due to the physicochemical similarities of the silylated lovastatin, simvastatin, pravastatin, fluvastatin, and atorvastatin. The results showed that the use of MRM decreased their detection and quantification limits by factors of 2–10 compared to that obtained in TIC monitoring. The concentration calibration was made between 247.5 ng/L and 9900 ng/L. Limits of detection and quantification were between 50 ng/L (lovastatin)–500 ng/L (pravastatin) and 250 ng/L (lovastatin)–1000 ng/L (pravastatin), respectively. Based on the MRM results, the wood bark and phloem samples contained lovastatin, lovastatin–lactone, simvastatin, simvastatin–lactone, and pravastatin. Their concentrations were 250–3000 μg/L, i.e. 4.2–50 mg/kg in phloem and bark. However, they were not detected in fluids made with Pleurotus ostreatus fermentation of wood core.

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