title: Identification of metabolites of nerve agent VX in serum collected from a victim.
abstract: A human serum sample collected from a victim of the Osaka VX incident was analyzed according to our developed technique for metabolites of VX. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in full-scan electron impact and chemical ionization modes were used, and, for more reliable confirmation, GC-MS-MS was also employed. In the serum sample, both ethyl methylphosphonic acid and 2-(diisopropylamino-ethyl)methyl sulfide were detected. These results indicated that the techniques using GC-MS and GC-MS-MS were applicable to biological samples such as serum. These results also provide the first documented, unequivocal identification of the specific metabolites of VX in victim's serum and, furthermore, clarify a part of the metabolic pathway of VX in the human body.
authors.affiliation: Forensic Science Laboratory of Osaka Prefectural Police H.Q., Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsuchihashi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Katagi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tatsuno
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000097:blood*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008752:Methylene Chloride / Q000737:chemistry; D009946:Organothiophosphorus Compounds / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D008752:Methylene Chloride; D009946:Organothiophosphorus Compounds; C009680:VX-agent