Abstract
This study aims to determine the chemical composition of the base sample using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). It is generally used for liquid chromatography separation and analysis by mass spectrometry. Sugar was dissolved in methanol and filtered, followed by reverse-phase LC on a C18 column using a quadrupole mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization system. Use this method to effectively separate, ionize, and identify all ingredients in cosmetic samples.
Method and Instrumentation
Sample preparation
A small amount of foundation makeup sample was prepared for LC-MS analysis by dissolving it in an appropriate solvent such as water and methanol (Thomas et al.2022)l.This is important because the choice of a suitable solvent should ensure that all the different constituents in the formulation of the foundation are entirely dissolved, which include polar and non-polar molecules. According to Joseph et al.(2022), methanol is a suitable solvent. The solution was well shaken until the sample was dissolved entirely and homogenized. Subsequently, a syringe filter removed particles or insoluble substances that might block the LC system or interfere with analysis.
Instrumentation
Figure 1 shows how the examination was performed using a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system attached to a quadrupole mass spectrometer. The HPLC system consisted of a binary solvent manager, sample manager with autosampler, and column oven. Meanwhile, the atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) source in the mass spectrometer is highly recommended for ionizing polar compounds together with non-volatile compounds (generally seen in cosmetic formulations).
Figure 1
Schematic representation of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) instrumentation used to analyze the cosmetic foundation sample.
This image exemplifies a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) system, a powerful analytical technique used to identify and separate liquid samples. The process can be divided into different steps: First, the fluid sample is entered into the system via a syringe or autosampler. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) then separates the other components in the sample based on their chemical properties and interactions with the stationary phase. After separation, the particles are sent to the ion source subjected to ionization processes such as electrospray ionization (ESI) or atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI). The mass spectrometer then accepts these and separates them by mass-to-value ratio with a mass spectrometer such as a quadrupole, ion trap, or time-of-flight analyzer. The ions are then detected and quantified by the analyzer, and finally, the data is processed, and the results are displayed in chromatograms and mass spectra. After chromatographic separation, the eluate is fed to the analyzer. Middle. APCI parts of the mass spectrometer where the material is ionized. Based on their mass-to-charge ratio, the quadrupole mass analyzer operates in positive ion mode to detect and quantify ionized analytes. Use software tools for data collection and processing.
Justifications
This LC-MS setup is ideal for analyzing cosmetic samples due to several factors, according to Aryal (2018). First, liquid chromatography allows the separation of polar and non-polar components in the sample. Second, the APCI ionization source is ideal for ionizing polar and non-volatile molecules commonly found in cosmetic samples to provide effective ionization and detection. Third, the quadrupole mass analyzer provides accurate and reliable mass measurements of the analyzed material. Additionally, gradient elution systems and reversed-phase chromatography columns can separate and identify compounds of different polarities.
References
Aryal, S. (2018, October). High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Retrieved from Microbiology Notes website: https://microbenotes.com/high-performance-liquid-chromatography-hplc/
Joseph, J. A., Akkermans, S., & Van Impe, J. F. M. (2022). Processing Method for Quantifying Methanol and Ethanol from Bioreactor Samples Using Gas Chromatography–Flame Ionization Detection. ACS Omega, 7(28), 24121–24133. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.2c00055
Thomas, S. N., French, D., Jannetto, P. J., Rappold, B. A., & Clarke, W. A. (2022). Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry for clinical diagnostics. Nature Reviews Methods Primers, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43586-022-00175-x
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