Determination of methamphetamine and its metabolites incorporated in hair by column-switching liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.
An automated column-switching liquid chromatographic-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometric (LC-ESI-MS) method has been established for the determination of methamphetamine (MA) and its metabolites, amphetamine (AP), and p-hydroxymethamphetamine (p-OH-MA) in hair. The combination of an N-vinylacetamide-containing hydrophilic polymer online extraction column, an SCX semi-micro LC column, and an electrospray ionization interface provided the successful concentration, separations, and highly sensitive MS determinations of these analytes in a hair extract without tedious sample pretreatments. The limits of detection of these analytes were 0.02 ng/mg and 0.1-0.2 ng/mg in the selected-ion monitoring (SIM) and full-scan modes, respectively, when using a 100-microL hair extract sample that corresponds to a 2.5-mg sample of hair. The calibration curves using dibenzylamine as an internal standard were linear up to 30 ng/mg hair equivalents for all these analytes in the SIM mode. p-OH-MA, the detection of which in MA users' hair had not been previously reported, was detectable in all 22 hair specimens/sections from which 1 ng or more of MA was detected per milligram hair. The amount of p-OH-MA detected per milligram of hair is presented with those of MA and AP among the MA users population. The detection of AP and p-OH-MA, in addition to the parent drug MA with reasonable ratios, was found to be a useful indicator for distinguishing internal MA incorporation from external contamination.
Miki
Akihiro
A
Forensic Science Laboratory, Osaka Prefectural Police Headquarters, 1-3-18 Hommachi, Chuo-ward, Osaka 541-0053, Japan. CZD13116@nifty.ne.jp
Katagi
Munehiro
M
Tsuchihashi
Hitoshi
H
D000661:Amphetamine / Q000032:analysis; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D008694:Methamphetamine; C005877:pholedrine; D000661:Amphetamine