title: Hydrogen sulfide measurement by headspace-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS): application to gaseous samples and gas dissolved in muscle.
abstract: The aim of our study was to present a new headspace-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS) method applicable to the routine determination of hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) concentrations in biological and gaseous samples. The primary analytical drawback of the GC/MS methods for H(2)S measurement discussed in the literature was the absence of a specific H(2)S internal standard required to perform quantification. Although a deuterated hydrogen sulfide (D(2)S) standard is currently available, this standard is not often used because this standard is expensive and is only available in the gas phase. As an alternative approach, D(2)S can be generated in situ by reacting deuterated chloride with sodium sulfide; however, this technique can lead to low recovery yield and potential isotopic fractionation. Therefore, N(2)O was chosen for use as an internal standard. This method allows precise measurements of H(2)S concentrations in biological and gaseous samples. Therefore, a full validation using accuracy profile based on the β-expectation tolerance interval is presented. Finally, this method was applied to quantify H(2)S in an actual case of H(2)S fatal intoxication.
authors.affiliation: Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine Lausanne- Geneva CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland vincent.varlet@chuv.ch.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Varlet
authors.affiliation: Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine Lausanne- Geneva CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Giuliani
authors.affiliation: Forensic Medicine Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine Lausanne- Geneva CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Cristian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Palmiere
authors.affiliation: Institut Universitaire de Médecine Légale, 12 Avenue Rockefeller, 69005 Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Géraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maujean
authors.affiliation: Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine Lausanne- Geneva CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Augsburger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy; D002138:Calibration; D005591:Chemical Fractionation; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000032:analysis* / Q000506:poisoning; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013440:Sulfides / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D013440:Sulfides; C033479:sodium sulfide; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide