title: Rapid and sensitive static headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method for the analysis of ethanol and abused inhalants in blood.
abstract: A sensitive and specific method using static headspace gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) has been developed for the quantitative determination of ethanol in biological fluids using n-propanol as internal standard. Gas chromatography was performed in isothermal mode with a GC run time of 2.6 min. The quantification was performed using scan mode abstracting a quantitative ion and a qualifier ion for ethanol and for the internal standard. The method was linear (r(2), 0.999, in the concentration range of 5-200 mg/dl), specific (no interference from methanol acetaldehyde, acetone or from endogenous materials), sensitive (limit of quantification and limit of detection of 0.2 and 0.02 mg/dl, respectively) and robust (less than 5% inter- and intra-assay coefficient of variation). A slightly modified method was also developed for the quantification of five commonly abused inhalants (dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, benzene, toluene and xylene) in blood. The method used a gradient GC program with a run time of 8 min. The quantification was performed using scan mode and integrating the area under the peak using trichloroethane as an internal standard. Without optimization, the method was linear (from 5 to 100 mg/l) and sensitive.
authors.affiliation: Camelracing Laboratory, Forensic Science Laboratory, P.O. Box 253, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. iawasfi@emirates.net.ae
authors.forename: Ibrahim A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Wasfi
authors.forename: Ahmed Hassan
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Al-Awadhi
authors.forename: Zainat Naser
authors.initials: ZN
authors.lastname: Al-Hatali
authors.forename: Fatima Juma
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Al-Rayami
authors.forename: Nawal Abdulla
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Al Katheeri
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000097:blood*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs; D000431:Ethanol