Journal of Chromatography B 2005-06-05

Application of a validated high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry assay to the analysis of m- and p-hydroxybenzoylecgonine in meconium.

S Pichini, E Marchei, R Pacifici, M Pellegrini, Jaime Lozano, O García-Algar

Index: J. Chromatogr. B. Analyt. Technol. Biomed. Life Sci. 820(1) , 151-6, (2005)

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Abstract

A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-mass spectrometry (MS) assay, already validated for opiates and cocaine in meconium, has been re-applied for determination of m- and p-hydroxybenzoylecgonine, using nalorphine as the internal standard. Methodology included an initial extraction from the matrix by methanol and then a solid-phase extraction (SPE). A reversed-phase chromatography was used with a gradient of 1% acetic acid-acetonitrile coupled to atmospheric pressure ionization electrospray-mass spectrometry single ion monitoring mode. This method, validated in the range 0.005-1.00 microg analytes/g meconium, proved useful to identify and quantify these two metabolites in meconium samples, already tested for the presence of cocaine, benzoylecgonine and cocaethylene. A positivity of range of concentrations varied between 0.007 and 0.338 microg/g, confirming the importance of these two hydroxylated derivatives to monitor fetal exposure to cocaine.