The Quantitation of 2-Oxo-3-hydroxy Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (O-H-LSD)in Human Urine Specimens, a Metabolite of LSD: Comparative Analysis Using Liquid Chromatography-Selected Ion Monitoring Mass Spectrometry and Liquid Chromatography-Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry

Two liquid chromatography methods (mass spectrometry and ion trap mass spectrometry) are compared for detecting 2-oxo-3-hydroxy lysergic acid diethylamide (O-H-LSD), a major LSD metabolite in urine. Both procedures show linear calibration from 0 to 8,000 pg/mL with correlation coefficients above 0.99, and limits of detection and quantitation of 400 pg/mL. Reanalysis of 68 human urine specimens previously positive for LSD found O-H-LSD concentrations averaging about 16 times higher than LSD concentrations. Either method can be adapted for high-volume drug testing, and targeting this metabolite may extend the detection window for LSD use.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This paper compares the potential forensic application of two sensitive and rapid procedures (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry) for the detection and quantitation of 2-oxo-3-hydroxy lysergic acid diethylamide (O-H-LSD) a major LSD metabolite. O-H-LSD calibration curves for both procedures were linear over the concentration range 0-8,000 pg/mL with correlation coefficients (r2) greater than 0.99. The observed limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ) for O-H-LSD in both procedures was 400 pg/mL. Sixty-eight human urine specimens that had previously been found to contain LSD by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry were reanalyzed by both procedures for LSD and O-H-LSD. These specimens contained a mean concentration of O-H-LSD approximately 16 times higher than the LSD concentration. Because both LC methods produce similar results, either procedure can be readily adapted to O-H-LSD analysis for use in high-volume drug-testing laboratories. In addition, the possibility of significantly increasing the LSD detection time window by targeting this major LSD metabolite for analysis may influence other drug-free workplace programs to test for LSD.