O agravamento das alterações climáticas tem levado a uma grande procura de formas de energia alternativas mais limpas, assim como aumentar a eficiência de formas de energia atuais. Como solução para estes problemas a gaseificação apresenta bons resultados. Nesta dissertação desenvolveu-se um modelo computacional, recorrendo ao software Aspen Plus, para simulação do processo de gaseificação com e sem recurso de plasma. O modelo desenvolvido tem como base de funcionamento a minimização da energia de Gibbs para calcular os produtos da gaseificação. O modelo desenvolvido foi comparado com dados da literatura com resultados favoráveis atestando a sua veracidade. O modelo desenvolvido foi também sujeito a um estudo do processo de gaseificação para três tipos de biomassa: resíduos de floresta, vides e casca de café. Os parâmetros da gaseificação, como Razão de Equivalência, Rácio Vapor de Água/Biomassa e Temperatura do Gaseificador foram variados com o objetivo de obter frações molares para os constituintes do gás produto da gaseificação. Recorrendo ao mesmo modelo, a produção de hidrogénio através de gaseificação também foi estudada para os combustíveis referidos anteriormente de forma a se teorizar condições de funcionamento ideais. O Poder Calorífico Inferior do gás produzido para os diferentes parâmetros da gaseificação estudados foi teorizado. Os resultados obtidos vão de encontro aos resultados já alcançados noutros estudos. A Razão de Equivalência apresenta melhores resultados para valores deste entre 0,2 e 0,3. O Rácio Vapor de Água – Biomassa tem um grande impacto na formação de H2, quanto maior mais elevada é a fração de H2, mas com o consequente aumento de vapor de água no produto final. A variação da Temperatura do Gaseificador é também responsável pela alteração das frações molares do Syngas.

A síndrome da apneia obstrutiva do sono (SAOS) é um importante problema de saúde pública, não só por comprometer o estilo de vida e bem-estar do doente, mas também por ser um factor de risco para o desenvolvimento de doenças cardiovasculares, metabólicas e carcinogénicas. Apesar de grandes avanços nos métodos de diagnóstico e tratamento da SAOS, permanecem ainda por esclarecer os mecanismos moleculares que levam ao seu desenvolvimento e às patologias associadas. A avaliação do perfil proteómico do plasma sanguíneo que possa estar associado à SAOS, aos vários estadios da doença ou à resposta/eficácia do tratamento com pressão positiva contínua das vias aéreas (CPAP), foi o objectivo último deste estudo. As proteínas constituintes deste perfil, uma vez validadas, são potenciais biomarcadores de diagnóstico, prognóstico e/ou de monitorização terapêutica da SAOS. Numa primeira fase foi necessária a optimização da preparação de amostras de plasma e sua análise por electroforese bidimensional (2DE) em mini-géis, para futura identificação de proteínas diferencialmente expressas na doença/condição, por espectrometria de massa. Este objectivo do projecto foi concluído com sucesso, pois mostrou que a utilização de 2DE em minigeis é possível em análises futuras com uma boa relação custo-eficácia. Em paralelo, investigou-se se o estado redox-oligomérico da proteína peroxiredoxina 2 (Prx2) (um biomarcador de inflamação/stress oxidativo), encontrava-se alterado no plasma de doentes com SAOS e, se esta alteração, era parcialmente revertida após tratamento CPAP, tal como vem sendo observado nos eritrócitos destes doentes (dados preliminares do laboratório). A validação em plasma dos dados de proteómica obtidos em eritrócitos, poderá contribuir para uma melhor compreensão da relevância do papel da Prx2 na SAOS. Para isso, selecionaram-se amostras de plasma ‘noite’, recolhidas na noite anterior ao diagnóstico polissonográfico e ‘manhã’, recolhidas na manhã seguinte para cada indivíduo roncador (controlo) e doente SAOS (ligeira, moderada e grave). Para estes últimos, foram também recolhidas amostras matinais ‘CPAP’, após seis meses de tratamento. As amostras de plasma foram analisadas por 1DE SDS-PAGE reduzido e não-reduzido (com ou sem agente redutor), seguido de western blotting com anticorpo específico para a Prx2 ou PrxSO2/3 (formas hiperoxidadas da Prx2). Os resultados indicaram que as formas hiperoxidadas estavam aumentadas nos doentes SAOS, mais significamente (p≤0,05) à noite, em relação aos indivíduos controlo. O tratamento CPAP pareceu reduzir esta hiperoxidação. Estes resultados corroboram os resultados obtidos nos eritrócitos destes doentes. No entanto, formas da Prx2, possivelmente com outras modificações pós-traducionais, que não a hiperoxidação, também mostraram uma tendência para um aumento matinal nos doentes SAOS. Esta tendência foi significativamente (p≤0.05) reduzida após tratamento. Estes resultados, embora preliminares, são interessantes dado que a presença desta proteína no meio extra celular ser reconhecida como uma sinalizadora de stress/inflamação. Em suma, os dados obtidos são motivadores para se prosseguir com a investigação no plasma, no desenvolvimento futuro de novas ferramentas de diagnóstico, prognóstico e/ou monitorização terapêutica da SAOS.

The AWAKE Collaboration has been formed in order to demonstrate proton-driven plasma wakefield acceleration for the first time. This acceleration technique could lead to future colliders of high energy but of a much reduced length when compared to proposed linear accelerators. The CERN SPS proton beam in the CNGS facility will be injected into a 10 m plasma cell where the long proton bunches will be modulated into significantly shorter micro bunches. These micro-bunches will then initiate a strong wakefield in the plasma with peak fields above 1 GV/m that will be harnessed to accelerate a bunch of electrons from about 20 MeV to the GeV scale within a few meters. The experimental program is based on detailed numerical simulations of beam and plasma interactions. The main accelerator components, the experimental area and infrastructure required as well as the plasma cell and the diagnostic equipment are discussed in detail. First protons to the experiment are expected at the end of 2016 and this will be followed by an initial three-four years experimental program. The experiment will inform future larger-scale tests of proton-driven plasma wakefield acceleration and applications to high energy colliders.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major catechin present in green tea, presents diverse appealing biological activities, such as antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiviral activities, among others. The present work evaluated the impact in the molecular profile of human plasma from daily consumption of 225 mg of EGCG for 90 days. Plasma from peripheral blood was collected from 30 healthy human volunteers and analyzed by high-throughput Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. To capture the biochemical information while minimizing the interference of physical phenomena, several combinations of spectra pre-processing methods were evaluated by principal component analysis. The pre-processing method that led to the best class separation, that is, between the plasma spectral data collected at the beginning and after the 90 days, was a combination of atmospheric correction with a second derivative spectra. A hierarchical cluster analysis of second derivative spectra also highlighted the fact that plasma acquired before EGCG consumption presented a distinct molecular profile after the 90 days of EGCG consumption. It was also possible by partial least squares regression discriminant analysis to correctly predict all unlabeled plasma samples (not used for model construction) at both timeframes. We observed that the similarity in composition among the plasma samples was higher in samples collected after EGCG consumption when compared with the samples taken prior to EGCG consumption. Diverse negative peaks of the normalized second derivative spectra, associated with lipid and protein regions, were significantly affected (p < 0.001) by EGCG consumption, according to the impact of EGCG consumption on the patients' blood, low density, and high-density lipoproteins ratio. In conclusion, a single bolus dose of 225 mg of EGCG, ingested throughout a period of 90 days, drastically affected plasma molecular composition in all participants, which raises awareness regarding prolonged human exposure to EGCG. Because the analysis was conducted in a high-throughput, label-free, and economic analysis, it could be applied to high-dimension molecular epidemiological studies to further promote the understanding of the effect of bio-compound consumption mode and frequency.

Fourier Transform InfraRed spectroscopy of serum and plasma has been highly explored for medical diagnosis, due to its general simplicity, and high sensitivity and specificity. To evaluate the plasma and serum molecular fingerprint, as obtained by FTIR spectroscopy, to acquire the system metabolic state, serum and plasma spectra were compared to characterize the metabolic state of 30 human volunteers, between 90 days of consumption of green tea extract rich in Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). Both plasma and serum spectra enabled the high impact of EGCG consumption on the biofluid spectra to be observed, as analyzed by the spectra principal component analysis, hierarchical-cluster analysis, and univariate data analysis. Plasma spectra resulted in the prediction of EGCG consumption with a slightly higher specificity, accuracy, and precision, also pointing to a higher number of significant spectral bands that were different between the 90 days period. Despite this, the lipid regions of the serum spectra were more affected by EGCG consumption than the corresponding plasma spectra. Therefore, in general, if no specific compound analysis is highlighted, plasma is in general the advised biofluid to capture by FTIR spectroscopy the general metabolic state. If the lipid content of the biofluid is relevant, serum spectra could present some advantages over plasma spectra.

Fourier Transform InfraRed spectroscopy of serum and plasma has been highly explored for medical diagnosis, due to its general simplicity, and high sensitivity and specificity. To evaluate the plasma and serum molecular fingerprint, as obtained by FTIR spectroscopy, to acquire the system metabolic state, serum and plasma spectra were compared to characterize the metabolic state of 30 human volunteers, between 90 days consumption of green tea extract rich in Epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG). Both plasma and serum spectra enabled the high impact of EGCG consumption on the biofluid spectra to be observed, as analyzed by the spectra principal component analysis, hierarchical-cluster analysis, and univariate data analysis. Plasma spectra resulted in the prediction of EGCG consumption with a slightly higher specificity, accuracy, and precision, also pointing to a higher number of significant spectral bands that were different between the 90 days period. Despite this, the lipid regions of the serum spectra were more affected by EGCG consumption than the corresponding plasma spectra. Therefore, in general, if no specific compound analysis is highlighted, plasma is in general the advised biofluid to capture by FTIR spectroscopy the general metabolic state. If the lipid content of the biofluid is relevant, serum spectra could present some advantages over plasma spectra.

O presente trabalho reflete a importância que o hidrogénio tem, e o papel que poderá vir a desempenhar num futuro não muito distante, bem como os métodos de produção atuais e as alternativas existentes. A eletrólise com plasma é uma das alternativas em desenvolvimento e tem sido apontado por vários investigadores como um método propício a atingir elevadas taxas de produção de hidrogénio face aos valores de corrente ensaiados e sem qualquer emissão de CO2. Por estes motivos, foi este o método alternativo de produção escolhido como tema central do presente trabalho. Para iniciar este estudo foi desenvolvido um eletrolisador que permitisse realizar a eletrólise convencional e a eletrólise com plasma DC, nos mesmos parâmetros laboratoriais, para que se possa comparar os resultados e aferir os benefícios do processo. Os ensaios realizados com eletrólise convencional permitirão não só caracterizar o funcionamento do eletrolisador, como também verificar a Lei de Faraday e recolher informações para o desenvolvimento de um modelo matemático do eletrolisador. Os dados registados permitirão observar de que modo a temperatura e densidade de corrente influenciam o desempenho do eletrolisador. Após a realização dos ensaios com plasma DC para três tensões diferentes, será também traçado um perfil de desempenho energético do eletrolisador e comparado com o obtido nos ensaios com eletrólise convencional.

The populations of freshwater mussels belonging to the family Unionidae have been facing drastic changes in terms of diversity and numbers caused by constant aggressions on their natural habitat. Nevertheless, bivalves are capable of developing strategies of defense to overcome potential aggressors. The present work aimed to assess the potential antibacterial capacity of different species of unionid mussels from the north of Portugal. For this purpose, circulating cells (hemocytes), fluids, and mucus were obtained by nonlethal methods from the species Anodonta anatina (Linnaeus), Anodonta cygnea (Linnaeus), Potomida littoralis (Cuvier), and Unio delphinus (Spengler), and tested against bacterial reference strains and multidrug-resistant isolates. The cellular fraction of A. anatina, A. cygnea, and P. littoralis showed antibacterial activity, detected by the agar disc diffusion method, against Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6683, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 and Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC 19606. Circulating cells from P. littoralis and A. anatina also inhibited Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19111 and A. cygnea has also inhibited a multidrug-resistant isolate of Pseudomonas putida. The plasma of all mentioned freshwater mussels, used directly or diluted, showed great ability to hamper or inhibit the biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853, and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922. Anodonta cygnea hampered the biofilm formation by Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212 as well. Overall, these results showed that not only cells play a relevant role in the immune system of these species but also the plasma, which likely contains antibiofilm substances. Anodonta cygnea stood out by presenting the best antibacterial inhibition potential.

The conventional model of near-cathode space-charge sheath with ions entering the sheath from the quasi-neutral plasma may not be applicable to discharges burning in cathode vapour, e.g. vacuum arcs, where ionization of emitted atoms may occur inside the sheath with some of the produced ions returning to the cathode and others moving into the plasma. In this connection, a simple model is considered of a sheath formed by electrons and positive ions injected into the sheath with a very low velocity and moving from the sheath into the plasma. It is shown that such a sheath is possible provided that the sheath voltage is equal to or exceeds approximately 1.256kTe/e. This limitation is due to the space charge in the sheath and is in this sense analogous to the limitation of ion current in a vacuum diode expressed by the Child–Langmuir law. The ions leave the sheath and enter the plasma with a velocity equal to or exceeding approximately 1.585uB.

Glioblastoma (GB) is the most agressive central nervous system tumor and the one of the deadliest human cancers. It remains diagnosed at late stages when cure is, most often, not possible, highlighting the need for effective biomarkers for clinical management. GB secretome holds tremendous potential as a source of biomarkers, strengthened by the possibility for their detection in patient body fluids (e.g., blood/plasma). Among the most frequently described proteins found differentially expressed in GB patients’ plsma are MMP-2, MMP-9, YKL40, VEGFA, and osteopontin. Still, to date, none of them have shown to fulfil a relevant clinical role as a biomarker. This project aims to evaluate the expression of these proteins in GB tumor tissue and plasma samples, using immunohistochemistry and proteomic analysis, respectively, and to associate their expression with patients’ clinicopathological data and survival. In the series of B tissues evaluated, while VEGFA expression was heterogeneous. Importantly, VEGFA and YKL40 expression signifiantly impacted patients’ progression-free survival (after temozolomide/bevacizumab treatment). Moreover, proteomic analysis of a restricted number of GB plasma samples showed increased MMP-9 levels compared to controls. This study supports the relevance of studying secretome-associated proteins as GB biomarkers. In particular, it unveiled VEGFA and YKL40 as promising biomarkers to predict response to therapy.

A Polineuropatia amiloidótica familiar (PAF) é uma doença neurodegenerativa fatal com transmissão hereditária autossómica dominante. A substituição de uma valina por uma metionina na posição 30 (V30M) é a mutação da proteína transtirretina (TTR) é uma das principais variantes que conduz à deposição extracelular, multi-sistémica, de agregados fibrilares e não fibrilares de TTR. O transplante hepático é o tratamento comumente utilizado no tratamento da PAF, no entanto, na última década vários fármacos têm sido estudados como possíveis alternativas terapêuticas. Neste estudo propusemo-nos a avaliar a deposição de transtirretina no sistema vascular cerebral, leptomeninges e sistema gastrointestinal, assim como, a concentração de TTR no plasma em animais transgénicos para mutação humana da TTR (V30M), sem TTR endógena, deficientes para o Heat shock transcription factor 1 V30M/Hsf1, após a administração de um tratamento combinado. Para determinar a eficácia deste tratamento neste modelo animal foram utilizadas técnicas imunohistoquímicas, de imunofluorescência, western blot e imunodifusão radial. Os resultados obtidos no sistema gastrointestinal revelam que o tratamento combinado foi eficaz na disrupção e remoção de depósitos fibrilares. No cérebro (sistema vascular cerebral), os animais tratados apresentaram uma tendência para a diminuição de deposição de agregados de TTR. Foi igualmente observado que a transtirretina plasmática encontrava-se aumentada em animais tratados. Em suma, o tratamento combinado revelou ser eficaz na disrupção de fibrilas amilóides e remoção de agregados não fibrilares no sistema gastrointestinal. No sistema vascular cerebral, os animais tratados apresentaram uma tendência para a diminuição de deposição de agregados de TTR, sugerindo que tratamento combinado pode ter atuado nestes animais. O status nutricional dos animais tratados melhorou, sugerido pela elevação de TTR plasmática, comparativamente aos animais controlo.

Tranexamic acid (TXA) is an antifibrinolytic drug, with the ability to inhibit lysine binding at plasminogen receptors, used in adult trauma patients with on-going or at risk of significant haemorrhage. To understand the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of this drug in variable age groups undergoing surgeries with high blood loss, effective methods for determination of TXA in biological samples at sub-μg mL−1 are still required. We describe herein the development and validation of a method based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole-tandem mass spectrometry to quantify TXA in human plasma. An inexpensive, simple and efficient sample clean-up was implemented, not requiring matrix-matching calibration. Sample preparation consisted in protein precipitation using acetonitrile containing 0.5% (v/v) formic acid, followed by hydrophilic interaction based chromatographic separation, with elution in isocratic mode using a combination of acetonitrile and water (75:25, v/v), with quantification of TXA based on selected reaction monitoring. Good linearity was achieved (r2 > 0.997) for TXA concentrations ranging from 30 to 600 ng mL−1, with LOD of 18 ng mL−1 in plasma. The developed method proved to be selective, sensitive, accurate (96.4–105.7% of nominal values) and precise (RSD ≤ 4.5%). TXA was found to be stable in plasma extracts standing 24 h at room temperature (20 °C) or in the autosampler, and after three freeze-thawing cycles. Mean recovery values of TXA spiked plasma samples were ≥91.9%. No significant matrix effects were observed. The proposed methodology was successfully applied to the clinical study of plasma samples recovered during scoliosis surgery of pediatric patients pretreatment with TXA.

O objetivo deste projeto é o estudo do comportamento das comunicações rádio, na banda livre de 24 GHz num incêndio. Em caso de incêndio as comunicações são críticas pelo que é necessário entender e quantificar a correlação entre o incêndio e a propagação do sinal quando são interferidas pela presença de gases e fumo. O incêndio simulado foi realizado nos Prazeres, em que os combustíveis utilizados foram eucaliptos secos e pneus de automóvel. Para a realização deste ensaio foram utilizadas as antenas Ubiquit AirFiber 24. Este estudo envolveu também medições térmicas da temperatura da obstrução com câmara termográfica e um termómetro infravermelho para medição temperatura da combustão. Por fim foram recolhidas amostras de cinzas para análise química.

Recent advances in vacuum sciences and applications are reviewed. Novel optical interferometer cavity devices enable pressure measurements with ppm accuracy. The innovative dynamic vacuum standard allows for pressure measurements with temporal resolution of 2 ms. Vacuum issues in the construction of huge ultra-high vacuum devices worldwide are reviewed. Recent advances in surface science and thin films include new phenomena observed in electron transport near solid surfaces as well as novel results on the properties of carbon nanomaterials. Precise techniques for surface and thin-film characterization have been applied in the conservation technology of cultural heritage objects and recent advances in the characterization of biointerfaces are presented. The combination of various vacuum and atmospheric-pressure techniques enables an insight into the complex phenomena of protein and other biomolecule conformations on solid surfaces. Studying these phenomena at solid-liquid interfaces is regarded as the main issue in the development of alternative techniques for drug delivery, tissue engineering and thus the development of innovative techniques for curing cancer and cardiovascular diseases. A review on recent advances in plasma medicine is presented as well as novel hypotheses on cell apoptosis upon treatment with gaseous plasma. Finally, recent advances in plasma nanoscience are illustrated with several examples and a roadmap for future activities is presented.

Metabolomics of biofluids as plasma implies the sample pre-processment to eliminate diverse macromolecules as proteins. The optimization of this procedure is conducted according to the main method to analyses the metabolome and the type of metabolites to be studied. In the present work, it was evaluated the effect of diverse processes to eliminate macromolecules from plasma samples on the metabolome profile achieved by mid-infrared spectroscopy. It was evaluated the effect on the metabolome of proteins extraction by methanol, acetone and acetonitrile. The highest efficiency of protein extraction was observed with acetone, been achieved 2.4- and 4.7-fold lower quantities of proteins in relation to methanol and acetonitrile, respectively. This resulted in acetone as the highest reproducible extraction process, i.e. with replicate samples with a more homogenous molecular signature between them, in relation to the other two extraction processes. Despite that, acetone resulted in the spectra with the lowest signal to noise (S/N) ratio that could hamper the biological information output. The extraction with acetonitrile presented a spectrum with a S/N ratio like the obtained with methanol, and 2.7-fold higher than the obtained with acetone. However, it resulted in the lowest reproductible process probably due to the presence of 2.2 more proteins in the final sample in relation to the acetone process. All these observations point that different extraction process will complement each other in the view of a more complete metabolome of a system.

O Plasma é a fração líquida do sangue, rico em albumina, imunoglobulinas e fatores da coagulação. O uso de produtos derivados do plasma é essencial e tende a aumentar mundialmente, nomeadamente os concentrados de FVIII (FVIII), um fator lábil cuja atividade é influenciada por diversas variáveis, nomeadamente a congelação. O FVIII é obtido por tecnologia recombinante e pelo fracionamento pela indústria dos constituintes do plasma colhido em dadores de sangue. O aproveitamento do Plasma é uma recomendação do Conselho da Europa e uma estratégia nacional, possibilitando diminuir a dependência externa de hemoderivados. Neste contexto, é relevante a otimização dos processos inerentes à produção de Plasma para fracionamento (PF). Com o objetivo de avaliar como a congelação em arca ultracongeladora e num congelador rápido de plasmas, influenciam a concentração de FVIII no PF foi realizado um estudo observacional comparativo, no Serviço de Sangue da Unidade Hospitalar de Torres Novas, da Unidade Local de Saúde do Médio Tejo (ULSMT). Envolveu 124 dadores benévolos de sangue, cujas amostras foram colhidas em três momentos, no início da colheita, no plasma antes da congelação do PF e um mês após a congelação. Foram também relacionadas outras variáveis de forma a responder a objetivos específicos, como o grupo sanguíneo e FVIII, o tempo desde a colheita de sangue total até à congelação e a diferença de FVIII entre estes dois momentos. Espera-se que os resultados obtidos contribuam de uma forma importante, na escolha do melhor método de congelação para a preservação do FVIII, bem como contribuir para a adoção de boas práticas na produção de Componentes Sanguíneos (CS).

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major catechin presente in green tea, presents diverse appealing biological activities, such as antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiviral activities, among others. The present work evaluated the impact in the molecular profile of human plasma from daily consumption of 225 mg of EGCG for 90 days. Plasma from peripheral blood was collected from 30 healthy human volunteers and analyzed by high-throughput Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. To capture the biochemical information while minimizing the interference of physical phenomena, several combinations of spectra pre-processing methods were evaluated by principal component analysis. The pre-processing method that led to the best class separation, that is, between the plasma spectral data collected at the beginning and after the 90 days, was a combination of atmospheric correction with a second derivative spectra. A hierarchical cluster analysis of second derivativespectraalsohighlightedthefactthatplasmaacquiredbeforeEGCGconsumptionpresented a distinct molecular profile after the 90 days of EGCG consumption. It was also possible by partial least squares regression discriminant analysis to correctly predict all unlabeled plasma samples (not used for model construction) at both timeframes. We observed that the similarity in composition among the plasma samples was higher in samples collected after EGCG consumption when compared with the samples taken prior to EGCG consumption. Diverse negative peaks of the normalized second derivative spectra, associated with lipid and protein regions, were significantly affected (p < 0.001) by EGCG consumption, according to the impact of EGCG consumption on the patients’ blood, low density and high density lipoproteins ratio. In conclusion, a single bolus dose of 225 mg of EGCG, ingested throughout a period of 90 days, drastically affected plasma molecular composition in all participants, which raises awareness regarding prolonged human exposure to EGCG. Because the analysis was conducted in a high-throughput, label-free, and economic analysis, it could be applied to high-dimension molecular epidemiological studies to further promote the understanding of the effect of bio-compound consumption mode and frequency.

Biomarker-driven research has been proposed as a successful method to assess the exposure of individuals to xenobiotics, including mycotoxins, through estimation of their metabolites in biological fluids. A methodology to determine patulin (PAT) and citrinin (CIT) in human urine and plasma using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry was developed and validated in the present study. Selectivity/specificity, linearity, limit of detection and quantification, apparent recovery, intraday- and interday-precision and measurement uncertainty were investigated for validation purposes. Finally, the method was used to analyze human urine (n = 100) and plasma (n = 100) case-control samples, where 50 samples originated from colorectal cancer patients and 50 from age/sex-matched controls. This case-control study revealed that PAT was not detected in urine samples, however occurred in 25% of the analysed plasma samples with an average concentration of 11.62 ± 6.67 ng/mL in the positive samples. CIT was found in urine samples (74%) and plasma samples (36%) with average concentrations in the positive samples of 0.45 ± 0.24 ng/mL and 0.49 ± 0.2 ng/mL respectively. No statistically significant difference of PAT and CIT concentration among colorectal cancer and control patients (p > 0.05) was observed.