Detection of doping agents by LC-MC and LC-MC-MC

Initially, the introduction of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) into the field of doping analysis focused primarily on substances that were difficult to detect by other techniques. The first application of LC-MS in antidoping analysis was the detection of the highly polar and thermally labile diuretics. Further research also revealed that good results for nonpolar doping agents can be achieved with LC-MS. Corticosteroids, for example, exhibit a sensitivity, selectivity, and specificity not reached by any other analytical technique. In the last decade, research on the detection of all groups of doping agents has been investigated by LC-MS and routine LC-MS screening applications are now available for almost all classes of doping agents. Improvements in MS technology with respect to scan speed, sensitivity, and polarity switching allows for the combined detection of different classes of doping agents. Low physiological levels in urine and plasma mean the detection of peptide hormones is still difficult by LC-MS. In general, it is predictable that the application of LC-MS in antidoping analysis will increase.