title: A rapid and sensitive technique for assessing exposure to VX via GC-MS-MS analysis.
abstract: A rapid and sensitive method for the determination of the chemical warfare agent VX in plasma taken from Göttingen minipigs has been developed using isotope-dilution gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS-MS). Chromatographic separation was achieved on a 5% diphenyl/95% dimethyl polysiloxane capillary column with a total run time of about 11 min. The analyte was detected using ammonia chemical ionization in the multiple reaction monitoring mode, following a simple extraction with 10% 2-propanol in hexane. A good linear relationship was obtained in the quantitative concentration range of 10 ng/mL to 1000 ng/mL (r(2) = 0.9998) with an average slope of 1.275 +/- 0.037 (n = 7), and an absolute detection limit of 0.4 pg on column. The average recovery for VX was 95% in saline in the concentration range of 50-100 ng/mL. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of VX in minipig plasma in a preliminary toxicokinetic study.
authors.affiliation: US Army Edgewood CB Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21010-5424, USA. jeffrey.mcguire1@us.army.mil
authors.forename: Jeffrey M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: McGuire
authors.forename: Christopher E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Byers
authors.forename: Stanley W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Hulet
authors.forename: Edward M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Jakubowski
authors.forename: Sandra A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Thomson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019540:Area Under Curve; D002138:Calibration; D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005615:Freezing; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D009946:Organothiophosphorus Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013552:Swine; D013556:Swine, Miniature; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D009946:Organothiophosphorus Compounds; C009680:VX-agent