On-Line Electrochemistry/Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry for the Simulation of Pesticide Metabolism

On-line electrochemistry/liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (EC/LC/MS) was employed to mimic the oxidative metabolism of the fungicide boscalid. High-resolution mass spectrometry and MS/MS experiments were used to identify its electrochemical oxidation products. Furthermore, the introduction of a second electrochemical cell with reductive conditions provided important additional information on the oxidation products. With this equipment, hydroxylation, dehydrogenation, formation of a covalent ammonia adduct, and dimerization were detected after initial one-electron oxidation of boscalid to a radical cation. On-line reaction with glutathione yielded different isomeric covalent glutathione adducts. The results of the electrochemical oxidation are in good accordance with previously reported in vivo experiments, showing that EC/LC/MS is a useful tool for studying biotransformation reactions of various groups of xenobiotics. (J Am Soc Mass Spectrom 2009, 20, 138-145) (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of American Society for Mass Spectrometry