Antidoping Analysis Technologies

Explore analytical technologies used in doping control

To combat doping in human and animal sports and keep up with the evolving landscape of derivatives of prohibited substances, doping control labs must use a variety of sophisticated analytical techniques.  Biological samples in complex matrices undergo separation and identification using instruments including gas chromatography (GC), liquid chromatography (LC) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS), and isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). Emerging technologies, such as the analysis of dried blood, are becoming accepted testing methods—further expanding the antidoping tool kit. These advanced techniques help enable the detection and quantitation of trace amounts of banned substances and low-level metabolites (breakdown products) of banned substances in complex biological samples.

Separations

Chromatographic separations play a pivotal role in antidoping analysis, providing a robust and reliable method for detecting and identifying prohibited substances in biological samples. This analytical technique leverages the differential affinities of compounds between a stationary phase and a mobile phase to separate complex mixtures into individual components.

Thermo Scientific Vanquish Flex UHPLC System and Thermo Scientific Vanquish Horizon UHPLC System

The Vanquish liquid chromatography systems include features such as precise temperature control and high-pressure tolerance, making it a valuable tool in maintaining the integrity of competitive sports.

Thermo Scientific FAIMS Pro Duo Interface

FAIMS technology provides an additional dimension of separation to enhance LC-MS analysis. This results in improved signal-to-noise and LOQ when dealing with complex matrices, such as human serum.

Thermo Scientific Dionex ICS-6000 HPIC System coupled with mass spectrometry

Ion chromatography provides chromatographic selectivity, low chemical noise, and high compatibility with the mass spectrometer. IC-MS/MS provides excellent selectivity for polar analytes in complex matrices.

Mass spectrometers

Mass spectrometry is a cornerstone in antidoping analysis, providing definitive evidence of doping even at very low concentrations. Coupled with chromatographic methods, mass spectrometry helps ensure thorough screening and confirmation to uphold the rigorous standards of maintaining fair competition in sports.

Thermo Scientific TSQ Altis Plus Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer

Achieve excellent LC-MS/MS performance, application versatility, and user-friendly features for your demanding quantitative applications.

Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Exploris 120 Mass Spectrometer

The Orbitrap Exploris 120 MS capabilities have become synonymous with remarkable performance with the ability to resolve masses from one another, enabling precision and mass accuracy—down to sub parts per million (ppm).

Thermo Scientific TSQ 9610 Triple Quadrupole GC-MS

Designed for high-throughput analytical laboratories, the user-centric TSQ 9610 Triple Quadrupole GC-MS system features the sensitivity, speed and reliability that helps enable WADA accredited labs to be compliant with current doping control detection limit guidelines on a routine basis.

Thermo Scientific Stellar Mass Spectrometer

The Stellar MS is a novel mass spectrometer combining quadrupole and ion trap detectors delivering both robust quantitation and the specificity of full scan MSn capabilities.

Thermo Scientific DELTA Q Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer

The DELTA Q IRMS system uses advanced isotopic ratio mass spectrometry technology designed for precise doping control analysis, helping enable the detection of synthetic performance-enhancing substances by measuring subtle differences in isotopic signatures.

LC-MS data acquisition software

TraceFinder data acquisition software is widely used for the analysis of doping compounds, offering streamlined data processing and high-throughput screening capabilities.

Thermo Scientific TraceFinder Software

TraceFinder is a comprehensive method building, acquisition, and analysis software that helps enable quantitative and qualitative data analysis. The integration of this software significantly enhances the speed and accuracy of identifying potential doping violations.

Emerging trends—dried blood spots

The analysis of dried blood spots (DBS) has gained World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) approval, emerging as a complementary tool for doping analysis. It provides direct insights into blood drug concentrations, which can be used to complement urine-based findings. By measuring pharmacologically active levels in blood, DBS could enhance case and results management in antidoping investigations if adverse analytical findings (AAF) resulted from recent exposure or past contamination.

This unique approach involves collecting small volumes of blood, which are then dried and analyzed for the presence of prohibited substances banned in-competition. Notably, it allows for easier transport, longer sample storage, and the potential for remote sample collections.

“Dried blood spot (DBS) tests have the potential to contribute substantially to an improved antidoping testing program, today and in the future, supporting the clean athlete as well as the overall doping control analytical strategy. DBS analysis is the latest tool approved by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and was introduced at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

 

To accommodate the specific needs associated with DBS analyses, and the considerable number of target analytes, robust, sensitive, programmable (and especially automated DBS analytical options) will offer critical advantages to antidoping laboratories.”

Mario Thevis

Director, Center for Preventative Doping Research

German Sport University Cologne

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