Characterization of trichothecenes by ammonia chemical ionization and tandem mass spectrometry.

Ammonia and deuterated ammonia chemical ionization (CI) mass spectra and collisionally activated dissociation (CAD) mass spectra of ammonium adduct ions are presented for ten trichothecenes. The samples were introduced by direct exposure probe. Effects of ion source temperature and pressure on the ammonia CI gas plasma and the formation of the ammonium adduct ion were studied. The CI conditions were optimized to produce a maximal yield for the ammonium adduct ion of trichothecenes, i.e. the parent ion for tandem mass spectral analysis. Besides source temperature and pressure, proton affinity and the stability of the ammonium adduct ion affect the relative abundance ratio of [M + H]+:[M + NH4]+ in ammonia CI and CAD mass spectra. The ratio [M + H]+:[M + NH4]+, and hence the stability of the ammonium adduct ion, are largely determined by the functional groups (hydroxy, carbonyl, acetoxy, and isovaleroyloxy) and their location in the trichothecene nucleus. The most abundant fragment ions in the ammonia CI spectra and the most abundant daughter ions in the CAD spectra of the ammonium adduct ions are formed by the losses of ammonia and functional groups as neutrals in various combinations.