title: Ethanol analysis by headspace gas chromatography with simultaneous flame-ionization and mass spectrometry detection.
abstract: Ethanol is the most frequently identified compound in forensic toxicology. Although confirmation involving mass spectrometry is desirable, relatively few methods have been published to date. A novel technique utilizing a Dean's Switch to simultaneously quantitate and confirm ethyl alcohol by flame-ionization (FID) and mass spectrometric (MS) detection after headspace sampling and gas chromatographic separation is presented. Using 100 μL of sample, the limits of detection and quantitation were 0.005 and 0.010 g/dL, respectively. The zero-order linear range (r(2) > 0.990) was determined to span the concentrations of 0.010 to 1.000 g/dL. The coefficient of variation of replicate analyses was less than 3.1%. Quantitative accuracy was within ±8%, ±6%, ±3%, and ±1.5% at concentrations of 0.010, 0.025, 0.080, and 0.300 g/dL, respectively. In addition, 1,1-difluoroethane was validated for qualitative identification by this method. The validated FID-MS method provides a procedure for the quantitation of ethyl alcohol in blood by FID with simultaneous confirmation by MS and can also be utilized as an identification method for inhalants such as 1,1-difluoroethane.
authors.affiliation: Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, 3228 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach, Florida 33406, USA. TiscioneN@pbso.org
authors.forename: Nicholas B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Tiscione
authors.forename: Ilene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Alford
authors.forename: Dustin Tate
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Yeatman
authors.forename: Xiaoqin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shan
mesh_terms: D002138:Calibration; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine*; D005410:Flame Ionization / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D053593:Forensic Toxicology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D057230:Limit of Detection; D012015:Reference Standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D035501:Uncertainty
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol