title: Detection of β-methylphenethylamine, a novel doping substance, by means of UPLC/MS/MS.
abstract: Novel substances of expected doping activity are constantly introduced to the market. β-Methylphenethylamine (BMPEA) is classified as a doping agent by the World Anti-Doping Agency as it is a positional isomer of amphetamine. In this work, the development and application of a simple and rapid analytical procedure that enables discrimination between both isomers is described. The analytes of interest were extracted from urine by a two-step liquid-liquid extraction and then analyzed by UPLC/MS/MS under isocratic conditions. The entire analytical procedure was validated by evaluating its selectivity, discrimination capabilities, carry-over, sensitivity, and influence of matrix effects on its performance. Application of the method resulted in detection of BMPEA in eight anti-doping samples, including the first report of adverse analytical finding regarding its use. Further analysis showed that BMPEA may be eliminated unchanged along with its phase II conjugates, the hydrolysis of which may considerably improve detection capabilities of the method. Omission of the hydrolysis step may therefore, produce false-negative results. Testing laboratories should also carefully examine their LC/MS/MS-based amphetamine and BMPEA findings as both isomers fragment yielding comparable collision-induced dissociation spectra and their insufficient chromatographic separation may result in misidentification. This is of great importance in case of forensic analyses as BMPEA is not controlled by the public law, and its manufacturing, distribution, and use are legal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anti-Doping Research, Institute of Sport, Trylogii 2/16, 01-982, Warsaw, Poland, piotr.cholbinski@insp.waw.pl.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chołbiński
authors.forename: Mariola
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wicka
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kowalczyk
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jarek
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kaliszewski
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pokrywka
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bulska
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kwiatkowska
mesh_terms: D000662:Amphetamines / Q000652:urine*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000032:analysis; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D004300:Doping in Sports; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D053593:Forensic Toxicology; D006801:Humans; D006868:Hydrolysis; D057230:Limit of Detection; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000652:urine; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods*; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D000662:Amphetamines; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; C000600517:beta-methylphenyl-ethylamine; C027141:N-methylphenethylamine; D008694:Methamphetamine