title: Phenmetrazine or ephedrine? Fooled by library search.
abstract: Chemical and/or thermal conversion of analytes in a sample and/or GC injector can mislead the identification of analytes in a toxicological screening. In addition, library search can even more complicate the identification. The risk for false positive identification of phenmetrazine in an ephedrine-containing sample analysed by GC-MS is described. Ephedrine reacted with formaldehyde contamination in solvents to a compound with a similar mass spectrum as phenmetrazine. High injection temperatures influenced the formation speed.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Toxicology, Ghent University, Harelbekestraat 72, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sarah M R
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Wille
authors.forename: Willy E E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Lambert
mesh_terms: D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000379:methods*; D004809:Ephedrine / Q000737:chemistry*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D010633:Phenmetrazine / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004809:Ephedrine; D010633:Phenmetrazine