Pancuronium bromide (Pavulon) isolation and identification in aged autopsy tissues and fluids.
The isolation and detection of pancuronium bromide was developed for aged autopsy samples to identify and confirm this compound in questioned tissue samples. A novel protocol was optimized for the isolation of the target drug in highly decomposed tissues. Solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges containing styrene-divinylbenzene were investigated. This polymer retained quaternary drugs and facilitated sequential elution upon washing with commonly available solvents. The semi-purified SPE samples were prescreened by pyrolysis GC-MS. A candidate specimen was then confirmed by microbore high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray-ionization/mass spectrometry (microHPLC-ESI-MS/MS) with a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer. The developed procedures provided a qualitative or semiquantitative (at best) basis for the investigation of difficult cases involving overdoses of polar drugs.
Andresen
Brian D
BD
Forensic Science Center, Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USA.
Alcaraz
Armando
A
Grant
Patrick M
PM
D001344:Autopsy; D002623:Chemistry Techniques, Analytical / Q000379:methods; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000175:diagnosis; D049249:Exhumation; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000506:poisoning; D010197:Pancuronium / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000506:poisoning; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D012997:Solvents; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013997:Time Factors; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists; D012997:Solvents; D010197:Pancuronium