Useof GasChromatography andMassSpectrometry to AnalyzeUnderivatized VolatileHumanor Animal Constituents of ClinicalInterest

Thestudyof volatilizablecomponentsin humanandanimal samples by gas chromatographyand mass spectrometry is reviewed for the years 1970-1975. Only naturally volatile, underivatized compounds are considered, from sources such as body fluids, tissues, and breath. Where possible, the clinical samples are discussed in terms of normal profiling, aberrations associated with disease states, andspecific compoundanalyses. A brief descriptive technicalsection is included,stressingtypesof sample preparation currently being used. I. Introduction The purpose of this review is to summarize for the clinician the recent advances in the study of human and animal samples by gas chromatographic (GC) and mass spectrometric (MS) methods.2 Development of sophisticated instrumentation for GC and MS has made it possible to use these tools separately or in conjunction with a computer (COMP) to assess samples quickly and reliably. We have not attempted to give here a technical discussion of instrument design. Excellent descriptions of GC and MS instrumentation are already available and are cited in subsequent sections of this review. We do, however, give a short descriptive technological section which, we hope, will enable the reader to evaluate the papers cited. A noncritical compilation of the systems currently used is provided, together with descriptions of the type of results obtained. The reader is thus provided with an opportunity to evaluate these systems and results with respect to his own specific interests.