title: Development and validation of a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry assay for hair analysis of amphetamine, methamphetamine and methylenedioxy derivatives.
abstract: A procedure based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is described for the determination of amphetamine, methamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy), 3,4-methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDE or MDEA) and N-methyl-1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-butanamine (MBDB) in hair. Hair samples were digested with 1 M sodium sulfide at 37 degrees C (by shaking for 3 h and was kept at room temperature overnight), and extracted with two sequential extraction procedures: liquid-liquid extraction with tert-butyl methyl ether and solid-phase extraction with Bond-Elut Certify columns. Extracted analytes were derivatised with N-methyl-bis(trifluoroacetamide), separated by a 5% phenylmethylsilicone column and determined by a mass spectrometer detector in selected ion monitoring mode. A good reproducibility (intra-assay R.S.D.=1.5-15.7%), accuracy (intra-assay error = 2.0-11.7%) and sensitivity (LOD=0.03-0.08 ng/mg hair) were attained. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of the proximal (1 cm) hair segment to assess recent self-reported use in "ecstasy" consumers. Otherwise, further studies are needed to validate methodology developed in case of amphetamine consumption.
authors.affiliation: Institut Municipal d'Investigació Mèdica, Doctor Aiguader 80, E-08003 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Mitona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pujadas
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pichini
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Poudevida
authors.forename: Ester
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Menoyo
authors.forename: Piergiorgio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zuccaro
authors.forename: Magí
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farré
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de la Torre
mesh_terms: D000661:Amphetamine / Q000032:analysis*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000032:analysis*; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000032:analysis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D008694:Methamphetamine; D000661:Amphetamine; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine