title: Analysis of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) in urine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
abstract: A simple method for the direct analysis of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) from human urine is described. The method uses solid-phase extraction, liquid-liquid extraction, and silyl-derivatization, then gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis using GHB-d6 as the internal standard. The method was linear from 5 to 500 mg/L, and coefficients of variation were less than 10%. Twenty-six urine specimens previously analyzed by an existing method were analyzed and yielded GHB concentrations ranging from 0 to 6100 mg/L; the results correlated between the two methods. Compared with existing methods, the method described here is superior because it is specific to GHB and can discriminate between GHB and gamma-butyrolactone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Immunology, and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville 32610-0275, USA.
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: McCusker
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Paget-Wilkes
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Chronister
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Goldberger
mesh_terms: D015107:4-Butyrolactone / Q000737:chemistry / Q000652:urine; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D012015:Reference Standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012978:Sodium Oxybate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D012978:Sodium Oxybate; D015107:4-Butyrolactone