Qualitative Screening of Amphetamine- and Ketamine-Type Abuse Drugs in Urine Employing Dual Mode Extraction Column by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS-MS).
George Fai Wong, Wing-Man Lee, Chi-Keung Li
Journal of analytical toxicology January 24, 2023 DOI: 10.1093/jat/bkac004 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA fast qualitative screening method for 11 abuse drugs in urine using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was developed. The drugs included methamphetamine, amphetamine, MDMA, MDA, PMMA, ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, ketamine, deschloroketamine, 2-fluorodeschloroketamine, and deschloro-N-ethylketamine. A dual mode extraction column cleaned up the urine matrix. Detection limits were 3 ng/mL for most amphetamines, 10 ng/mL for ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, and 1 ng/mL for ketamine and its analogs. Matrix effects ranged from -12% to 7%. The method is suitable for forensic toxicology and analysis of drugs in sexual assault and other criminal cases.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Method development and validation Qualitative Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Citations | 9 |
| Key finding | A dual mode extraction column combined with LC-MS-MS provides a fast, sensitive qualitative screening method for 11 abuse drugs in urine, with detection limits as low as 1 ng/mL and acceptable matrix effects. |
Abstract
This manuscript reported a fast and rapid qualitative screening method for abuse drugs in urine by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). The scope of the abuse drugs under investigation included methamphetamine (MA), amphetamine (AMP), methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), paramethoxymethamphetamine (PMMA), ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, ketamine (KET), deschloroketamine (DCK), 2-fluorodeschloroketamine (2 F-DCK) and deschloro-N-ethylketamine (2-oxo-PCE). The method employed a dual mode extraction (DME) column as a novel clean-up method for the urine matrix. To an aliquot of 0.2 mL urine, internal standards (ISTDs) and 0.4 mL of acidified methanol were added. After vortex and centrifugation, the supernatant was passed through a DME column before LC-MS-MS analysis. Chromatographic separation was achieved with a C18 column by gradient elution. The limits of detection (LODs) for MA, AMP, MDMA, MDA and PMMA were 3 ng/mL, whereas those for ephedrine and pseudoephedrine were 10 ng/mL and those for KET, DCK, 2 F-DCK and 2-oxo-PCE were 1 ng/mL. The matrix effects ranged from -12% to 7% (%CV from 4% to 19%). This method is fit for the intended purpose for forensic toxicology, as well as for forensic analysis of drugs facilitating sexual assault and other criminal acts.