title: Scheduled multiple reaction monitoring algorithm as a way to analyse new designer drugs combined with synthetic cannabinoids in human serum with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
abstract: Here, we describe the development and application of a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method with positive electrospray ionisation and scheduled multiple reaction monitoring algorithm (s-MRM) to analyse synthetic cannabinoids (SC) combined with new designer drugs (NDD) in human serum. A Luna 5μm C18 (2) 100A, 150mm×2mm analytical column and a mobile phase consisted of A (H2O/methanol=95/5, v/v) and B (H2O/methanol=3/97, v/v) - both with 10mM ammonium acetate and 0.1% acetic acid (pH=3.2), were used for the separation. A binary flow pumping mode with a total flow rate of 0.400mL/min was used. A single sample extraction with 1-chlorobutane for both substance groups was performed. Acceptable linearity in the validated calibration ranges of 0.05-1ng/mL for SC and 1-50ng/mL for NDD was achieved. The limit of detection was not greater than 0.02/0.40ng/mL and the limit of quantification not greater than 0.05/0.50ng/mL for SC/NDD respectively. The presented study revealed that this method is a very effective way for sensitive SC and NDD identification in human serum and has useful application in hospitals, therapy centres and forensic psychiatric centres. S-MRM ensures a method upgrade with a smaller loss of sensitivity, precision and accuracy in comparison to traditional MRM methods. Also addition of new SC and NDD can be performed in the future.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Legal Medicine, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, D-30625 Hannover, Germany. Dziadosz.Marek@mh-hannover.de
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dziadosz
authors.forename: Jens-Peter
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Weller
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Klintschar
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Teske
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D015198:Designer Drugs / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D002186:Cannabinoids; D015198:Designer Drugs