An automatic versatile system integrating solid-phase extraction with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry using a dual-dilution strategy for direct analysis of auxins in plant extracts.

An automatic versatile system which integrated solid phase extraction (SPE) with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) was developed. Diverse commercial SPE columns can be used under an ambient pressure in this online system realized by a dual-dilution strategy. The first dilution enabled the direct injection of complex samples with minimal pretreatment, and the second dilution realized direct introduction of large volume of strong eluent into the UHPLC column without causing peak broadening or distortion.