Rapid toxicological screening of barbiturates in plasma by wide-bore capillary gas chromatography and nitrogen-phosphorus detection.
A rapid screening technique for the identification and quantitation of some barbiturates in plasma is reported. The method employs a one-step extraction at pH 5.8 into an organic phase, separation of compounds by gas chromatography with a wide-bore (0.75-mm i.d.) fused-silica capillary column connected to a direct injection kit, and nitrogen-phosphorus detection. Identification of each barbiturate is by retention time relative to brallobarbital, confirmed using another wide-bore column of slightly different polarity, connected to a flame-ionization detector. Rapid quantitation may be obtained with extracted standards used for drug screening. Detection threshold (0.5 micrograms/mL in a 0.5-mL serum sample and 0.5-microL injection volume), precision (CV < or = 11%), and linearity (r > 0.99) were satisfactory for routine toxicological applications.
Coudoré
F
F
Laboratoire de Pharmacologie Clinique et Toxicologie, Centre Hospitalier Régional et Universitaire, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
Alazard
J M
JM
Paire
M
M
Andraud
G
G
Lavarenne
J
J
D001463:Barbiturates / Q000097:blood*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D009584:Nitrogen; D010758:Phosphorus; D012015:Reference Standards
D001463:Barbiturates; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D010758:Phosphorus; D009584:Nitrogen