Moving beyond the van Krevelen Diagram: A New Stoichiometric Approach for Compound Classification in Organisms

Anal Chem. 2018 May 15;90(10):6152-6160. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b00529. Epub 2018 Apr 27.

Abstract

van Krevelen diagrams (O/C vs H/C ratios of elemental formulas) have been widely used in studies to obtain an estimation of the main compound categories present in environmental samples. However, the limits defining a specific compound category based solely on O/C and H/C ratios of elemental formulas have never been accurately listed or proposed to classify metabolites in biological samples. Furthermore, while O/C vs H/C ratios of elemental formulas can provide an overview of the compound categories, such classification is inefficient because of the large overlap among different compound categories along both axes. We propose a more accurate compound classification for biological samples analyzed by high-resolution mass spectrometry based on an assessment of the C/H/O/N/P stoichiometric ratios of over 130 000 elemental formulas of compounds classified in 6 main categories: lipids, peptides, amino sugars, carbohydrates, nucleotides, and phytochemical compounds (oxy-aromatic compounds). Our multidimensional stoichiometric compound classification (MSCC) constraints showed a highly accurate categorization of elemental formulas to the main compound categories in biological samples with over 98% of accuracy representing a substantial improvement over any classification based on the classic van Krevelen diagram. This method represents a signficant step forward in environmental research, especially ecological stoichiometry and eco-metabolomics studies, by providing a novel and robust tool to improve our understanding of the ecosystem structure and function through the chemical characterization of biological samples.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Sugars / analysis*
  • Benzene Derivatives / analysis*
  • Carbohydrates / analysis*
  • Carbon / chemistry
  • Hydrogen / chemistry
  • Lipids / analysis*
  • Molecular Structure
  • Nucleotides / analysis*
  • Oxygen / chemistry
  • Peptides / analysis*

Substances

  • Amino Sugars
  • Benzene Derivatives
  • Carbohydrates
  • Lipids
  • Nucleotides
  • Peptides
  • Carbon
  • Hydrogen
  • Oxygen