title: Fast targeted analysis of 132 acidic and neutral drugs and poisons in whole blood using LC-MS/MS.
abstract: The aim of this study was to develop an LC-MS/MS based screening technique that covers a broad range of acidic and neutral drugs and poisons by combining a small sample volume and efficient extraction technique with simple automated data processing. After protein precipitation of 100μL of whole blood, 132 common acidic and neutral drugs and poisons including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, barbiturates, anticonvulsants, antidiabetics, muscle relaxants, diuretics and superwarfarin rodenticides (47 quantitated, 85 reported as detected) were separated using a Shimadzu Prominence HPLC system with a C18 separation column (Kinetex XB-C18, 4.6mm×150mm, 5μm), using gradient elution with a mobile phase of 25mM ammonium acetate buffer (pH 7.5)/acetonitrile. The drugs were detected using an ABSciex(®) API 2000 LC-MS/MS system (ESI+ and -, MRM mode, two transitions per analyte). The method was fully validated in accordance with international guidelines. Quantification data obtained using one-point calibration compared favorably to that using multiple calibrants. The presented LC-MS/MS assay has proven to be applicable for determination of the analytes in blood. The fast and reliable extraction method combined with automated processing gives the opportunity for high throughput and fast turnaround times for forensic and clinical toxicology.
authors.affiliation: Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Southbank, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: matthew.dirago@vifm.org.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Rago
authors.affiliation: Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Southbank, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saar
authors.affiliation: Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Southbank, Victoria, Australia; Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Southbank, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Luke N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Rodda
authors.affiliation: Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Southbank, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Turfus
authors.affiliation: Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Southbank, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kotsos
authors.affiliation: Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Southbank, Victoria, Australia; Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Southbank, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Dimitri
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gerostamoulos
authors.affiliation: Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Southbank, Victoria, Australia; Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Southbank, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: olaf.drummer@monash.edu.
authors.forename: Olaf H
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Drummer
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates; D002021:Buffers; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D057230:Limit of Detection; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000097:blood* / Q000737:chemistry; D011042:Poisons / Q000097:blood* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D002021:Buffers; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D011042:Poisons; C018824:ammonium acetate
keywords: Acidic; Blood; Drugs; LC–MS/MS; Neutral; Poisons; Screen; Systematic toxicological analysis