Polypropylene microcentrifuge tubes (MCTs) are increasingly used in lipidome sample preparation. In the absence of a comprehensive study evaluating ramifications of plasticware utilization in mass spectrometry-based lipidomic analyses, we conducted a systematic analysis to elucidate potential negative effects ascribable to labware contamination in serum lipidomics. During serum lipid extractions, tested glassware introduced 24 labware contaminants. In contrast, Eppendorf polypropylene MCTs contributed 485 contaminant features, many of which could be erroneously putatively identified as lipids via their m/z values. Eppendorf MCTs contamination engendered severe ion-suppression of 40 low abundance serum lipids, while generating mild to modest lipid ion-suppression across a multitude of higher abundance coeluting lipids. Less compatible polypropylene MCTs from an alternative manufacturer introduced a staggering 2,949 contaminant m/z values, severely affecting 75 coeluting serum lipids and causing more frequent and pronounced ion-suppression instances. Furthermore, by performing serum extractions with varied initial volumes, it was ascertained that labware-induced lipid ion-suppression is a dynamic phenomenon, contingent on both lipid and labware contaminant concentrations where low-abundance lipids are disproportionately impacted by coelutes of suppressive contaminants. In addition to lipid ion-suppression, the identification and quantification of 7 fatty acid endogenous serum lipids were compromised by the leaching of structurally identical surfactants from MCTs. MCTs artificially introduced 10 additional primary amides extraneous to serum samples. Utmost caution is imperative in interpreting data concerning primary amides and fatty acids when employing plastic labware. Through this investigation, we aspire to elevate awareness regarding the pernicious impact of labware contamination on lipidome analysis.

中文翻译：

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实验室器具污染对基于质谱的人血清脂质组分析的影响的研究


聚丙烯微量离心管 (MCT) 越来越多地用于脂质组样品制备。由于缺乏评估塑料器具在基于质谱的脂质组学分析中使用的影响的综合研究，我们进行了系统分析，以阐明血清脂质组学中实验室器具污染造成的潜在负面影响。在血清脂质提取过程中，测试的玻璃器皿引入了 24 种实验室器皿污染物。相比之下，Eppendorf 聚丙烯 MCT 贡献了 485 个污染物特征，其中许多特征可能通过其 m/z 值被错误地推定为脂质。 Eppendorf MCT 污染对 40 种低丰度血清脂质造成严重的离子抑制，同时对多种较高丰度的共洗脱脂质产生轻度至中度的脂质离子抑制。来自替代制造商的相容性较差的聚丙烯 MCT 引入了惊人的 2,949 污染物 m/z 值，严重影响了 75 种共洗脱血清脂质，并导致更频繁和更明显的离子抑制情况。此外，通过以不同的初始体积进行血清提取，可以确定实验室器具引起的脂质离子抑制是一种动态现象，取决于脂质和实验室器具污染物浓度，其中低丰度脂质不成比例地受到抑制性污染物共洗脱物的影响。除了脂质离子抑制之外，7 种脂肪酸内源性血清脂质的鉴定和定量还因 MCT 中结构相同的表面活性剂的浸出而受到影响。 MCT 人为地引入了 10 种与血清样品无关的额外伯酰胺。使用塑料实验室器具时，在解释有关伯酰胺和脂肪酸的数据时必须极其谨慎。 通过这项调查，我们希望提高人们对实验室器具污染对脂质组分析的有害影响的认识。