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Title: Mass Spectrometry contamination from Tinuvin 770, a common additive in laboratory plastics

Author
item SCHAUER, KEVIN - Colorado State University
item BROCCARDO, CAROLYN - Colorado State University
item Webb, Kimberly
item Covey, Paul
item PRENNI, JESSICA - Colorado State University

Submitted to: Journal of Biomolecular Techniques
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/8/2013
Publication Date: 7/1/2013
Citation: Schauer, K.L., Broccardo, C.J., Webb, K.M., Covey, P.A., Prenni, J.E. 2013. Mass Spectrometry contamination from Tinuvin 770, a common additive in laboratory plastics. Journal of Biomolecular Techniques. doi: 10.7171/jbt. 13-2402-004.

Interpretive Summary: Tinuvin 770 is often added to laboratory plastics that are often then used for liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) proteomic research projects. This work investigated the source of this contaminant in microcentrifuge tubes that we used for a mass spectrometry run and to determine if this contaminant could be found in other brands of microcentrifuge tubes. Recommendations are made to pre-screen laboratory plastics prior to performing MALDI-TOF MS to prevent equipment contamination and sample losses.

Technical Abstract: The superior sensitivity of current mass spectrometers makes them prone to contamination issues which can have deleterious effects on sample analysis. Here, Bis(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidyl) sebacate (marketed under the name Tinuvin 770) is identified as a major contaminant in applications utilizing liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Tinuvin 770 is often added to lab and medical plastics as a UV stabilizer. One particular lot of microcentrifuge tubes was found to have an excess of this compound that would leach into samples and drastically interfere with LC-MS data acquisition. Further analysis found that Tinuvin 770 readily leached into both polar and nonpolar solvents from the contaminated tube lot. Efforts to remove Tinuvin 770 from contaminated samples were unsuccessful. A prescreening method using MALDI-TOF MS is presented to prevent system contamination and sample loss.