title: Interference of anesthetics in blood alcohol analysis by HS-GC-FID: A case report.
abstract: One of the techniques most widely used in ethanol analysis in forensic laboratories is undoubtedly the headspace gas chromatography with flame-ionization detection (HS-GC-FID) since the determination of this substance is carried out directly, without the need for additional purification procedures, which leads to increased productivity. This is a very important factor due to the high number of alcohol analysis requested to these laboratories. The presence of other volatile substances can cause a problem given the fact that they can be interferents in ethanol analysis by HS-GC-FID, which can have legal consequences related with driving under the influence of alcohol. The authors report a case of a routine analysis by HS-GC-FID for the determination of ethanol of a driver who has suffered an accident in which the use of two chromatographic columns with different polarities was essential to obtain an unequivocally identification of this substance in presence of an interfering volatile anesthetic administered in the hospital. The method was validated according to international recommendations before being introduced into routine laboratory in terms of selectivity, limits of detection (LOD), limits of quantification (LOQ), linearity, repeatability, intermediate precision, accuracy, robustness and carryover.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Centre Branch, Largo da Sé Nova, Coimbra 3000-213, Portugal; CENCIFOR, Forensic Sciences Centre, Largo da Sé Nova, Coimbra 3000-213, Portugal. Electronic address: carla.p.monteiro@inmlcf.mj.pt.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Centre Branch, Largo da Sé Nova, Coimbra 3000-213, Portugal; CENCIFOR, Forensic Sciences Centre, Largo da Sé Nova, Coimbra 3000-213, Portugal.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Proença
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Centre Branch, Largo da Sé Nova, Coimbra 3000-213, Portugal.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tavares
authors.affiliation: CENCIFOR, Forensic Sciences Centre, Largo da Sé Nova, Coimbra 3000-213, Portugal; National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences - South Branch, Rua Manuel Bento de Sousa 3, 1150-219 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castañera
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Centre Branch, Largo da Sé Nova, Coimbra 3000-213, Portugal; CENCIFOR, Forensic Sciences Centre, Largo da Sé Nova, Coimbra 3000-213, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Largo da Sé Nova, Coimbra 3000-213, Portugal.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Corte Real
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D000431:Ethanol / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005410:Flame Ionization; D006801:Humans; D057230:Limit of Detection; D008297:Male; D015742:Propofol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D000431:Ethanol; D015742:Propofol
keywords: Anesthetics; Dual column; Ethanol; Forensic toxicology; HS-GC-FID