An optimized analytical method based on C8 core-shell revers ephase chromatographic separation and
high resolutionmassspectral(HRMS)detectionisdevelopedforafastanalysisofunboundphytoche-
latins (PCs)inplants.Itsapplicationtoanalysisof Clinopodium vulgare L. isdemonstratedwhereproper
PCs liberatingandpreservationconditionswereemployedusingdithiotreitolintheextractionstep.A
baseline separationofglutathione(GSH)andphytochelatinsfrom2to5(PC2–PC5) for3minwas
achieved atconventionalHPLCbackpressure,withdetectionlimitsfrom3ppt(forGSH)to2.5ppb(for
PC5). Itisshown,thattheuseofHRMSwithtandemmassspectral(MS/MS)capabilitiespermitsaddi-
tional widerangescreeningabilityforiso-phytochelatinsandPCsimilarcompounds,basedonexact
mass andfragmentspectrainapostacquisitionmanner