title: Hydropyrolysis of steroids: a preparative step for compound-specific carbon isotope ratio analysis.
abstract: Compound-specific stable carbon isotope analysis by gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry is an important method for the detection of steroid abuse in athletes. However, steroids in their natural form exhibit poor chromatographic resolution, while derivatization adds carbon thereby corrupting the starting stable isotopic composition. Hydropyrolysis is a new approach, which defunctionalizes steroids but leaves their carbon skeleton intact. The process improves chromatography, allowing the faithful measurement of carbon isotope ratios and enabling a more effective apportionment for the source of steroids and their metabolites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth Science and Engineering, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London SW7 2AZ, UK. m.a.sephton@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sephton
authors.forename: Will
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Meredith
authors.forename: Cheng-Gong
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Colin E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Snape
mesh_terms: D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006868:Hydrolysis; D013256:Steroids / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D013256:Steroids