Quantification of MDMA and MDA in abusers' hair samples by semi‐micro column HPLC with fluorescence detection
Biomedical Chromatography June 1, 2006 Shinichi Nakamura, Mamoru Tomita, Mitsuhiro Wada et al. 24 citations
A sensitive method using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection was developed to measure MDMA, MDA, methamphetamine, and amphetamine in human hair. Drugs were extracted from hair using trifluoroacetic acid in methanol and labeled with a fluorescent reagent. Separation was achieved on a reversed-phase column. Detection limits for MDMA, MDA, methamphetamine, and amphetamine were 0.25, 0.15, 0.25, and 0.19 ng/mg, respectively. Assay precision ranged from 1.5% to 6.8% for intra-day and 2.7% to 4.7% for inter-day measurements. The method was sensitive enough to detect these compounds in small hair samples and was applied to quantify drugs in six abusers' hair.