2. ITSP Introduction
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This presentation is intended to familiarize viewers with
ITSP – Instrument Top Sample Prep.
ITSP is actively in use in clinical, environmental, and toxicology laboratories in the
Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific to prepare samples for LC-MSMS/GC-MS
analysis.
3. On a PAL autosampler the ITSP
cartridge can be moved over trays or
vials to facilitate sample clean-up
through JIT automated filtration or
SPE (Solid Phase Extraction).
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ITSP is a Consumable Solution, Not an Instrument
The heart of the ITSP system is
a patented cartridge
containing customer-defined
filter and/or SPE media.
ITSP is Instrument Top Sample Prep
JIT – Just In Time – prep the next sample
while the previous sample is being analyzed,
which means no analyte degradation
between first and last samples, as can be
seen in batch processes using liquid handlers
or vacuum manifolds!
4. ITSP Markets and Applications
• Clinical/Forensic –
• Many different compounds of interest from different biological sample matrices
(urine, blood, hair, saliva):
• Pain management drugs from patient urine samples,
• Vitamin D from patient blood plasma samples,
• Forensic drugs of abuse from case urine or corpse blood samples,
• Steroids from blood plasma or serum, and
• Immunosuppressants from blood plasma or serum samples.
• Environmental/Food and Beverage –
• Pesticide residues from food QuEChERS extract clean-up, and
• Contaminants from beverage or drinking water.
• Pharmaceuticals –
• Small sample volume – “micro-sampling” (2-5µL) – automated SPE of pharma COI’s
(Compounds Of Interest) from biological or botanical sample matrices.
• Emerging Markets –
• Legalized marijuana in the US (both potency of – and contaminants in – THC).
Posters and Application Notes at www.ITSPsolutions.com
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5. Why should a lab consider ITSP?
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ITSP can provide many benefits:
• Improve quality of chromatography by improving peak shape and reducing
interferences,
• Extend LC column life by more than 1,000% over dilute-and-shoot methods,
• Reduce risk of carry-over,
• Improve chain-of-custody verification,
• Increase lab throughput,
• Reduce costs of capital equipment,
• Reduce cost of solvent acquisition and hazardous waste disposal –
in some cases by 90% or more (ITSP is green), and
• Utilize valuable analytical chemist’s time for data analysis instead of
taking up time for sample prep.
ITSP uses standard SPE protocols, except miniaturized and automated.
6. ITSP Market Drivers
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• End users in several markets are seeing a general trend from GC toward LC.
• We are seeing robust LC/MSMS instrument sales/opportunities.
• Less expensive analytical instruments with ITSP-prepared samples.
• Can use 6430’s instead of 6460’s or 6490’s.
• For the global market - 6430’s use nitrogen generators, while more sensitive
instruments require ultra-high pressure nitrogen sources.
• No requirement to buy a liquid handler.
• ITSP uses standard PAL hardware and software.
• With labs experiencing tighter budgets, ITSP allows use of lab technologists
(BS degree) rather than analytical chemists (PhD degree) to prepare samples
and run instruments. The analytical chemists can focus on analyzing data and
reporting results.
ITSP reduces costs while improving consistency and quality of sample prep
7. ITSP Cartridge Components
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PAL Lower Needle Guide
(modified for ITSP)
PAL Syringe Needle
SPE Sorbent or Filter Media
The small inner diameter of ITSP needle guide
- reduces volume to improve efficiency,
- maintains vertical position of ITSP
cartridge during transport, and can be
- color coded for different sorbents.
Needle Guide
The cartridge septum grips
the needle to allow the PAL to
transport the ITSP cartridge.
Septum
Media Cup
8mm Crimp Seal
The crown of the ITSP cartridge seal
mates with the nipple on the
PAL lower needle guide to center the
needle in the cartridge.
8. ITSP Cartridge Configurations
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• ITSP SPE cartridges are available in two nominal bedmass sizes:
– 10mg (standard) and 30mg (large).
• A large variety of phases are available from many different sorbent
manufacturers:
• Reverse phase,
• Normal phase,
• Ion exchange,
• Copolymeric (mixed-mode),
• “Special” configurations,
e.g. QuEChERS blend, coconut charcoal, and
• Custom configurations – tell us what you want.
9. The autosampler syringe replaces the
column sample reservoir above the
sorbent bed as found in manual SPE
cartridge formats.
The needle penetrates the septum and
creates a seal so that the sample or
solvent is forced through the sorbent
bed by positive pressure when the
plunger is depressed.
Solvents and sample are pushed through
the SPE sorbent bed by the autosampler
syringe plunger at a controlled rate.
The sample is eluted into a collection
plate or vial and then injected into the
LC injection valve or GC inlet.
Unlike manual SPE methods which
require a vacuum manifold, ITSP
solvent and sample flow rates can
be precisely controlled with the
syringe plunger.
How ITSP Performs SPE
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10. ITSP Hardware Kit for PAL-xt
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ITSP Prep / Waste Station ITSP PAL Lower Needle Guide
The crown of the ITSP cartridge seal mates
with the nipple on the ITSP PAL Lower Needle
Guide to center the needle in the cartridge.
(HW-KIT-APM outfits two complete SPE stations)
18. Additional ITSP Resources are on the
USB Drive included in the ITSP Hardware Kit
• ITSP Applications
• Published app notes
• PAL macros and methods
• List of standards and other consumables
• Lab workflows (SOP)
• ITSP PAL Objects (for PAL-xt)
• Sample ITSP CC Macros and Methods
(for PAL-xt)
• ITSP Automated Method Development
• ITSP Setup Guide
• Other resources – such as catalogs, videos,
and presentations with more information
about ITSP solutions.
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19. 19www.ITSPsolutions.com
ITSP Solutions, Inc.
706-395-8300
855-395-8300 toll free
Kim Gamble
President and CEO
Kim.Gamble@ITSPsolutions.com
Rick Youngblood
Director of Technology
Rick.Youngblood@ITSPsolutions.com
Mailing Address
212 Northlake Drive
Hartwell, GA 30643
Shipping Address
10 S. Carolina Street
Hartwell, GA 30643
Mark Hayward
Chief Science Officer
Mark.Hayward@ITSPsolutions.com
