Detecting succinylacetone

1. A method for detecting succinylacetone, the method comprising:

contacting a sample with an extraction solution comprising a C1-3 linear or branched chain monoalcohol and a strong base;

derivatizing succinylacetone in the sample; and

evaluating the derivatized succinylacetone in the derivatized sample using tandem mass spectrometry.

2. A method for detecting succinylacetone, the method comprising:

contacting a sample with an extraction solution comprising a C1-3 linear or branched chain monoalcohol and hydrazine;

derivatizing succinylacetone to 3-(5-methyl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)proprionic acid (MPP) in the sample; and

evaluating MPP in the derivatized sample using tandem mass spectrometry.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising evaluating the sample for one or more additional analytes.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the one or more additional analytes are evaluated with MPP in the same sample injection.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the extraction solution comprises at least about 5% water.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the extraction solution comprises less than about 85% of the C1-3 linear or branched chain monoalcohol.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the succinylacetone is derivatized with hydrazine or derivatized hydrazine.

8. The method of claim 2 , wherein the sample is a dried blood sample.

9. The method of claim 2 , wherein the sample is from a newborn human.

10. The method of claim 2 , further comprising determining whether a subject, from whom the sample was derived, has, or is at risk of developing, hereditary tyrosinemia type I, based on the detection of succinylacetone in the sample.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising after determining that the subject has, or is at risk of developing, hereditary tyrosinemia type I, administering to the subject an inhibitor of 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase.

12. The method of claim 2 , wherein a derivatized succinylacetone comprising at least one heavy atom isotope is included in the sample prior to mass spectroscopic analysis.

13. A method for detecting a biologically active ketone, the method comprising:

contacting a sample with an extraction solution comprising a C1-3 linear or branched chain monoalcohol and a strong base;

derivatizing a biologically active ketone in the sample; and

evaluating the derivatized biologically active ketone in the derivatized sample using tandem mass spectrometry.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the biologically active ketone is succinylacetone.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the biologically active ketone is a steroid.

16. A kit for detecting succinylacetone, the kit comprising:

derivatized succinylacetone comprising at least one heavy atom isotope;

an extraction solution comprising a C1-3 linear or branched chain monoalcohol and a strong base; and

instructions for how to detect the derivatized succinylacetone.

17. The kit of claim 16 , wherein the derivatized succinylacetone is 3-(5-methyl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl) propionic acid (MPP).

18. The kit of claim 16 , wherein the strong base is hydrazine.

19. The kit of claim 18 , wherein the hydrazine is hydrazine dihydrochloride.

20. The kit of claim 18 , wherein the hydrazine is in solution at a concentration of less than about 0.1%.

21. The kit of claim 16 , further comprising one or more internal standards, each internal standard comprising: (i) an amino acid, free carnitine, or an acylcarnitine and (ii) at least one heavy atom isotope.

22. The kit of claim 16 , further comprising at least one dried blood spot comprising a known amount of one or more of succinylacetone, an amino acid, free carnitine, or an acylcarnitine.

23. A method for extraction, the method comprising:

contacting a sample with an extraction solution, the extraction solution comprising a C1-3 linear or branched chain monoalcohol and a strong base, wherein contacting the sample with the extraction solution yields an extract comprising (i) derivatized succinylacetone, (ii) one or more amino acids, (iii) free carnitine, (iv) one or more acylcarnitines or (v) a derivatized form of (ii), (iii), or (iv) from the sample, wherein the concentration of the derivatized succinylacetone if present in the extract reflects the concentration of succinylacetone in the sample, and wherein the concentrations of the one or more amino acids, free carnitine, one or more acylcarnitines, or derivatized forms thereof if present in the extract reflect their respective concentrations in the sample.

24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising after contacting the sample with the extraction solution, analyzing the sample using tandem mass spectrometry.

25. The method of claim 23 , wherein the contacting derivatizes at least one succinylacetone molecule to 3-(5-methyl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl) propionic acid (MPP).

26. The method of claim 23 , wherein the sample is a biological sample.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the biological sample is a dried blood sample.

28. The method of claim 23 , wherein the extraction solution further comprises water.

29. The method of claim 23 , wherein the extraction solution comprises between about 5% to about 30% water.

30. The method of claim 23 , wherein the strong base is hydrazine.

31. The method of claim 23 , wherein the strong base is a modified hydrazine.

32. The method of claim 23 , wherein the extraction solution further comprises an organic acid.

33. The method of claim 32 , wherein the organic acid is oxalic acid.

34. The method of claim 23 , wherein the extraction solution further comprises one or more internal standards.

35. The method of claim 23 , further comprising after contacting the sample with the extraction solution, evaporating the sample resulting in a first evaporated sample.

36. The method of claim 35 , further comprising after evaporating the sample, contacting the first evaporated sample with an alkyl alcohol solution comprising an alkyl alcohol and an acid.

37. The method of claim 36 , wherein the alkyl alcohol is n-butanol.

38. The method of claim 36 , wherein the acid is HC 1 .

39. The method of claim 36 , further comprising after contacting the sample with the alkyl alcohol solution, evaporating the solution resulting in a second evaporated sample.

40. The method of claim 39 , further comprising reconstituting the second evaporated sample.

41. The method of claim 40 , wherein reconstituting comprises contacting the second evaporated sample with a solvent comprising acetonitrile.