title: Quantitation of metabolites of the nerve agents sarin, soman, cyclohexylsarin, VX, and Russian VX in human urine using isotope-dilution gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
abstract: Organophosphorus nerve agents are among the most toxic organic compounds known and continue to be a threat for both military and terrorist use. We have developed an isotope-dilution gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric (GC-MS-MS) method for quantitating the urinary metabolites of the organophosphorus nerve agents sarin (GB), soman (GD), VX, Russian VX (RVX), and cyclohexylsarin (GF). Urine samples were acidified, extracted into ether-acetonitrile, derivatized by methylation with diazomethane, and analyzed by GC-MS-MS. The limits of detection were less than 1 micro g/L for all analytes.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health, 4770 Buford Highway NE, Mailstop F-47, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA. JBarr@cdc.gov
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Barr
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Driskell
authors.forename: Linda S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Aston
authors.forename: Rodolfo A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Martinez
mesh_terms: D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007553:Isotope Labeling; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016482:Urinalysis
chemical_list: D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds