Gas chromatographic mass spectrometric evaluation of free organic acids in human saliva

Excellent resolution and subsequent identification of free organic acids extracted from mixed, unstimulated human saliva was obtained by gas chromatography using high resolution open tubular glass capillary columns coupled with mass spectrometry computer instrumentation. In addition to the organic acids, identified as their trimethylsilyl derivaties, the presence of 2,6-di-t-butylcresol--a food preservative--and cholesterol was established by mass spectrometry. The effects of aspirin ingestion as well as diurnal variation were studied to demonstrate the possible clinical significance of this noninvasive approach to metabolic profiling.