title: Optimisation of a solid-phase microextraction method for the analysis of nicotine in hair.
abstract: A headspace solid-phase microextraction method (HS-SPME) followed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (GC/MS) has been developed for the determination of low concentrations of nicotine in hair. Parameters affecting the SPME procedure including type of fiber coating, extraction mode, extraction temperature and time, desorption time, stirring, and salt addition have been evaluated and optimised. The method provided good linearity (r(2)≥0.9980) over the concentration range tested (0.2-20 ng/mg) and low detection limit (0.02 ng/mg). Precision expressed as relative standard deviation was <10%. The average accuracy was 95%. The proposed method was used to determine hair nicotine levels in 100 children in order to assess exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). The described HS-SPME procedure is fast, simple, sensitive, and solvent-free and is therefore suitable for studies involving ETS exposure assessment.
authors.affiliation: Analytical Toxicology and Mineral Metabolism Unit, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia. ibrcic@imi.hr
authors.forename: Irena
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Brčić Karačonji
authors.forename: Lukrica
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zimić
authors.forename: Nataša
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Brajenović
authors.forename: Ljiljana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Skender
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D052617:Solid Phase Microextraction / Q000379:methods*; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D009538:Nicotine