Identification of vitamin D_2 by thermospray-interface mass spectrometry

In order to identify vitamin D_2 contained in shiitake mushroom (Lentinus edodes), which is taken routinely in Japan, vitamin D_2 was isolated by thin-layer liquid chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography and identified by thermospray-interface mass spectrometry; this procedure prevents the decomposition of vitamin by heat, which is a common problem in the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of vitamin D_2