Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 2011-02-01

Fast GC-MS method for the simultaneous screening of THC-COOH, cocaine, opiates and analogues including buprenorphine and fentanyl, and their metabolites in urine.

Sabina Strano-Rossi, Ana Maria Bermejo, Xavier de la Torre, Francesco Botrè

Index: Anal. Bioanal. Chem 399(4) , 1623-30, (2011)

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Abstract

A fast gas chromatography (GC)-MS method has been developed and validated for the simultaneous screening of different classes of drugs of abuse in urine. Tetrahydrocannabinol metabolite, cocaine, opiates such as morphine, O-6-monoacetylmorphine (O-6-MAM), codeine, opioids such as buprenorphine, methadone, pentazocine, fentanyl and analogues and their main metabolites can be detected and quantified after a simple liquid-liquid extraction in alkaline conditions and derivatisation to obtain the corresponding trimethylsilyl derivatives. The chromatographic separation is performed in a total time of 6 min, using a short GC column (5% phenyl methyl silicone, 10-m length × 0.18-mm internal diameter). The Limits of Detection are satisfactory for forensic purposes for all the substances; the repeatability of concentrations (percent coefficients of variation) are always lower than 15% at high and low concentration levels, and accuracy, intended as % error on the true value, is always lower than 15% for all the analytes. The method can successfully be applied for screening analyses in many fields of forensic toxicology.