title: Direct determination of the ethanol metabolites ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate in urine by liquid chromatography/electrospray tandem mass spectrometry.
abstract: A liquid chromatography/electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS/MS) method for the determination in urine samples of two ethanol metabolites, ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS), was developed and validated. Pentadeuterated EtG was used as internal standard for both EtG and EtS. In addition to the surviving ions, two MS/MS reactions were monitored for each analyte, with the deprotonated molecule as precursor ion: m/z 221 --> 75, m/z 221 --> 85 (EtG), and m/z 125 --> 97, m/z 125 --> 80 (EtS). Sample pretreatment, though very simple and rapid (1:50 water dilution and centrifugation of 50 muL of urine), was found to contain the occurrence of matrix effects. The method was accurate and precise over the linear dynamic range (0.05-10 mg/L). The analytes were stable in frozen urine for at least 1 month. The assay was applied to several authentic urine samples from social drinkers and to alcoholic beverages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine & Public Health, University of Pavia, Italy. politi@unipv.it
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Politi
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morini
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Groppi
authors.forename: Vala
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Poloni
authors.forename: Fulvia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pozzi
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Polettini
mesh_terms: D000434:Alcoholic Beverages / Q000032:analysis; D002138:Calibration; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D004355:Drug Stability; D000431:Ethanol / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D005615:Freezing; D005965:Glucuronates / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; D013463:Sulfuric Acid Esters / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D005965:Glucuronates; D013463:Sulfuric Acid Esters; C093924:ethyl glucuronide; D000431:Ethanol; C011612:diethyl sulfate