Effect of hair care and hair cosmetics on the concentrations of fatty acid ethyl esters in hair as markers of chronically elevated alcohol consumption

Fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE) can be used as alcohol markers in hair. It was investigated in this study whether this diagnostic method is disturbed by hair care and hair cosmetics. Traces of ethyl myristate, ethyl palmitate, ethyl oleate and ethyl stearate were detected in all of 49 frequently applied hair care products by headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The highest concentration was 0.003% in a hair wax. From experiments with separated hair samples of alcoholics as well as from the evaluation of the FAEE concentrations and the data about hair care of 75 volunteers (alcoholics, social drinkers and teetotalers) follows that usual shampooing, permanent wave, dyeing, bleaching or shading are of minor importance as compared to the drinking amount and other individual features. However, false positive results were found after daily treatment with a hair lotion containing 62.5% ethanol, with a deodorant and with a hair spray. As an explanation, it is assumed that FAEE are formed in the sebum glands also after regular topical application of products with a higher ethanol content.     

Use of headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) in hair analysis for organic compounds

Headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) has advantages of high purity of the extract, avoidance of organic solvents and simple technical manipulation and can be used in combination with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in the hair analysis of a number of drugs. HS-SPME coupled with the hydrolysis of the hair matrix by 4% sodium hydroxide in the presence of excess sodium sulphate and of a suitable internal standard proved to be a convenient one-step method for the measurement of many lipophilic basic drugs such as nicotine, amphetamine derivatives, local anaesthetics, phencyclidine, ketamine, methadone, diphenhydramine, tramadol, tricyclic antidepressants and phenothiazines. Detection limits were between 0.05 and 1.0 ng/mg. From spiked 10-mg hair samples absolute recoveries between 0.04 and 5.7% were found. These recoveries decreased considerably if larger sample amounts were used, perhaps due to increased drug solubility in the aqueous phase or to elevated viscosity in the presence of dissolved hair proteins. Because of the phenolic hydroxyl group a change of pH after alkaline hair digestion (by adding excess orthophosphoric acid) was necessary for the detection of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta 9-THC), cannabinol (CBN) and cannabidiol (CBD) by HS-SPME. Nevertheless, the detection limits were such that only CBN could be detected in hair of a consumer. Clomethiazole, a compound hydrolysed in alkali, was measured by HS-SPME after extraction with aqueous buffer. The detection limit was 0.5 ng/mg. Cocaine could not be detected by HS-SPME. The application of HS-SPME to hair samples from several forensic and clinical cases is described.     

HS-SPME-GC/MS法检测尿液及毛发中苯丙胺类毒品

目的采用顶空固相微萃取（HS-SPME）、GC/MS分析方法,对生物样品中苯丙胺（AM）、甲基苯丙胺（MAM）、3,4-亚甲二氧基苯丙胺（MDA）和3,4-亚甲二氧基甲基苯丙胺（MDMA）4种苯丙胺类毒品进行定性定量分析。方法在碱性和饱和盐处理状态下,采用100μm聚二甲基硅氧烷（PDMS）萃取纤维,于顶空瓶中进行生物样品AM、MAM、MDA、MDMA 4种毒品萃取,以2-甲基苯乙胺为内标,经气-质联用选择离子检测（GC/MS/SIM）模式进行定性定量分析。对HS-SPME条件优化,对方法的精密度、准确度和检出限进行测定。结果 AM、MAM、MDA、MDMA 4种毒品尿液中的最低检出限为5ng/mL,毛发中的最低检出限为0.5ng/mg。尿液中线性关系范围为0.05μg/mL~5μg/mL,r〉0.991,回收率为82%~108%,RSD为2.6%~6.1%（n=5）;毛发中线性关系范围为5ng/mg~500ng/mg,r〉0.992,回收率为80%~113%,RSD（%）为1.4%~6.8%（n=5）。结论 HS-SPME-GC/MS各项定量参数符合分析要求。该方法简单、灵活、经济、快速、无溶剂,适用于生物检材中该类毒品的分析。     

Highly sensitive analysis of methamphetamine and amphetamine in human whole blood using headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A simple and highly sensitive method for analysis of derivatized methamphetamine (MA) and amphetamine (AM) in whole blood was developed using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry electron impact ionization selected ion monitoring (GC-MS-EI-SIM). A whole blood sample, deuterated-MA (d(5)-MA), as an internal standard (IS), tri-n-propylamine and pentafluorobenzyl bromide were placed in a vial. The vial was heated and stirred at 90 degrees C for 30min. Then the extraction fiber of the SPME was exposed at 90 degrees C for 30min in the headspace of the vial while being stirred. The derivatives adsorbed on the fiber were desorbed by exposing the fiber in the injection port of a GC-MS. The calibration curves showed linearity in the range of 0.5-1000ng/g for both MA and AM. The time for analysis was about 80min per sample. In addition, this proposed method was applied to two autopsy cases where MA ingestion was suspected. In one case, MA and AM concentrations in the mixed left and right heart blood were 165 and 36.9ng/g, respectively. In the other case, MA and AM concentrations were 1.79 and 0.119 microg/g in the left heart blood, and 1.27 and 0.074 microg/g in the right heart blood, respectively.     

Solid-phase microextraction for the determination of cocaine and cocaethylene in human hair by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A method for the simultaneous determination of cocaine (COC) and cocaethylene (CE) in human hair was developed, using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) as analytical technique to identify and quantify the drugs. Selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode was used to obtain higher sensitivity. The deuterated-labeled analogues were used as internal standards. The detector response was linear for the drugs studied over the range 0.4-15 ng/mg, with correlation coefficients higher than 0.995. The coefficients of variation oscillated between 0.65% and 14.18% and the accuracy was in the range from 0.73% to 11.20%. The limits of quantitation and detection were found to be acceptable. Finally, this method was applied to 15 hair samples from cocaine users, obtaining positive results in all cases. The mean concentrations were 5.39 ng/mg (range: 0.43-8.98 ng/mg) for cocaine and 1.11 ng/mg (range: 0.42-2.23 ng/mg) for cocaethylene.     

Practical experiences in application of hair fatty acid ethyl esters and ethyl glucuronide for detection of chronic alcohol abuse in forensic cases

This article presents results from 1872 hair samples, which were analyzed for fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) and ethyl glucuronide (EtG). The results were evaluated in the context of self-reported drinking behavior, the use of hair cosmetics, the gender of the sample donors and hair sample length. For comparison, CDT and GGT in serum were available in 477 and 454 cases, respectively. A number of alcohol abstainers or low moderate drinkers and excessive drinkers were selected for assessment of cut-offs for FAEEs in the proximal 6cm hair segments and for EtG in the proximal 3cm hair segments. Cut-off values were assessed by ROC analysis. It was found that the cut-offs of 1.0ng/mg FAEE and 30pg/mg EtG presently used for excessive drinking lead to a low portion of false positives (4% and 3% respectively) but to a higher portion of false negatives (23% and 25% respectively). Comparison of the mean and medium concentrations in samples without any reported hair cosmetics (N=1079) and in samples with reported use of hair spray (N=79) showed an increase by the factor of about two for FAEE but no significant difference for EtG. Mean values of EtG were decreased by 80% in bleached samples (N=164) and by 63% in dyed samples (N=96). There was no significant effect of bleaching and dyeing on FAEE. Hair gel and hair wax, oil or grease showed no significant effect on both FAEE and EtG. With respect to gender and investigated hair length ambiguous results were obtained because of major differences in the compared subpopulations of male with higher alcohol consumption and mainly shorter hair, and less drinking female with longer hair. For excessive drinkers FAEEs in the 0-6cm hair segment and EtG in the 0-3cm segment decreased with increasing time of reported abstinence before sample collection. These drinkers attain the level of teetotalers only after more than 10 months of abstinence. In comparison to scalp hair, FAEEs recovered from armpit hair and leg hair were lower and from chest hair were higher. EtG in armpit hair was lower and in leg hair higher than in scalp hair. It is concluded that the combined use of FAEE and EtG essentially increases the accuracy of interpretation since both markers complement each other by a different sensitivity to sources of error.     

Use of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) for the determination of methadone and EDDP in human hair by GC-MS

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) is a new extraction technique with many advantages: small sample volume, simplicity, quickness and solvent-free. It is mainly applied to environmental analysis, but is also useful for the extraction of drugs from biological samples. In this paper the use of SPME is proposed for the determination of methadone and its main metabolite EDDP in hair by GC-MS. The hair samples were washed, cut into 1-mm segments, and incubated with Pronase E for 12 h. A 100-micron polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film fibre was submerged for 30 min in a diluted solution of the hydrolysis liquid (1:4 with borax buffer) containing methadone-d3 and EDDP-d3 as internal standards. Once the microextraction was concluded the fibre was directly inserted into the CG injection port. Linearity was found for methadone and EDDP in the range studied, 1.0-50 ng/mg hair, with correlation coefficients higher than 0.99. Interassay relative standard deviation (R.S.D) was determined to be less than 13.30% for methadone and less than 8.94% for EDDP, at 3.0 and 30.0 ng/mg. Analytical recoveries were close to 100% for both compounds on spiked samples. The method was applied to the analysis of real hair samples from eight patients of a methadone maintenance programme. The concentration of methadone in hair ranged from 2.45 to 78.10 ng/mg, and for EDDP from 0.98 to 7.76 ng/mg of hair.     

尿中苯丙胺、甲基苯丙胺、MDA和MDMA的固相微萃取和GC/MS/SIM测定

目的研究固相微萃取(SPME)用于尿中苯丙胺(AMP)、甲基苯丙胺(MET)、3,4-亚甲二氧基苯丙胺(MDA)和3,4-亚甲二氧基甲基苯丙胺(MDMA)的提取。方法样品调节至碱性和用盐饱和后用顶空SPME,内标为MET-d5。萃取纤维为100μm聚二甲基硅氧烷(PDMS)。用气质联用选择离子检测(GC/MS/SIM)。结果0.2μg/ml加标尿样,AMP、MET、MDA和MDMA的富集倍数分别为22,60,13和47。检出限(S/N=3)为0.4～9.5ng/ml。线性范围为0.05～1μg/ml。0.2、0.5和1.0μg/ml加标尿样,相对回收率77.9%～112.4%,变异系数2.7%～18.0%(n=5)。用该方法分析5个案件样品,和常规液液萃取结果接近。结论顶空SPME法用于尿中AMP、MET、MDA和MDMA等化合物的分析,无需有机溶剂,富集效率高,提取-富集-进样一体化,简单方便实用。     

Analysis of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) in spiked water and beverage samples using solid phase microextraction (SPME) on fiber derivatization/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS)

Gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) is a CNS depressant that has been abused recreationally for its purported euphoric and relaxation effects and for the purposes of drug facilitated sexual assault due to its sedative and amnesic effects at higher doses. The dramatic increase in the abuse of GHB and association in criminal investigations over the past decade has created the need for forensic laboratories to develop analytical methods to detect GHB in a variety of matrices. The method developed in this work used solid-phase microextraction (SPME) to extract GHB from aqueous samples followed by on-fiber derivatization and analysis by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). This method detected GHB in aqueous matrices with good sensitivity, high precision, excellent linearity from 0.01 mg/mL to 0.25 mg/mL, and without the need for sample manipulation that could cause interconversion between GHB and its lactone, GBL. The method was successfully applied for detection of GHB in spiked water and beverage samples.     

Analysis of ketamine and norketamine in urine by automatic solid-phase extraction (SPE) and positive ion chemical ionization-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (PCI-GC-MS)

Ketamine (KT) is widely abused for hallucination and also misused as a "date-rape" drug in recent years. An analytical method using positive ion chemical ionization-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (PCI-GC-MS) with an automatic solid-phase extraction (SPE) apparatus was studied for the determination of KT and its major metabolite, norketamine (NK), in urine. Six ketamine suspected urine samples were provided by the police. For the research of KT metabolism, KT was administered to SD rats by i.p. at a single dose of 5, 10 and 20mg/kg, respectively, and urine samples were collected 24, 48 and 72 h after administration. For the detection of KT and NK, urine samples were extracted on an automatic SPE apparatus (RapidTrace, Zymark) with mixed mode type cartridge, Drug-Clean (200 mg, Alltech). The identification of KT and NK was by PCI-GC-MS. m/z238 (M+1), 220 for KT, m/z 224 (M+1), 207 for NK and m/z307 (M+1) for Cocaine-D(3) as internal standard were extracted from the full-scan mass spectrum and the underlined ions were used for quantitation. Extracted calibration curves were linear from 50 to 1000 ng/mL for KT and NK with correlation coefficients exceeding 0.99. The limit of detection (LOD) was 25 ng/mL for KT and NK. The limit of quantitation (LOQ) was 50 ng/mL for KT and NK. The recoveries of KT and NK at three different concentrations (86, 430 and 860 ng/mL) were 53.1 to 79.7% and 45.7 to 83.0%, respectively. The intra- and inter-day run precisions (CV) for KT and NK were less than 15.0%, and the accuracies (bias) for KT and NK were also less than 15% at the three different concentration levels (86, 430 and 860 ng/mL). The analytical method was also applied to real six KT suspected urine specimens and KT administered rat urines, and the concentrations of KT and NK were determined. Dehydronorketamine (DHNK) was also confirmed in these urine samples, however the concentration of DHNK was not calculated. SPE is simple, and needs less organic solvent than liquid-liquid extraction (LLE), and PCI-GC-MS can offer both qualitative and quantitative information for urinalysis of KT in forensic analysis.     

Headspace/solid-phase microextraction/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry: a screening technique for the recovery and identification of volatile organic compounds (VOC's) in postmortem blood and viscera samples.

This paper describes the application of Headspace/Solid-Phase Microextraction/Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (HS/SPME/GC-MS) to the recovery and identification of volatile organic compounds in blood and viscera samples from deceased persons. The technique is used as a screening procedure to rapidly obtain information relating to toxicological investigations. The technique is suitable for the detection of volatiles (of wide boiling range) including butane, halothane, toluene, xylenes, and petrol residues in blood and viscera (lung, brain, and body fat).     

Detection of bis(2-chlorethyl)-sulfide (Yperite) in urine by high resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Bis(2-chlorethyl)-sulfide (Yperite) could be detected by GC/MS in urine samples, concentration ranging from 1 to 30 ppb. These results were supported by high resolution mass spectral data.     

Determination of opiates and cocaine in hair using automated enzyme immunoassay screening methodologies followed by gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) confirmation

The objective of this study was to develop a two-step strategy for analysis of opiates and cocaine in hair samples involving an immunological screening procedure followed by confirmation of results using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A semi-quantitative automated competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methodology using Oral Fluid Micro-Plate Enzyme Immunoassays (Orasure Technologies, Inc.) was developed and validated. Applicability was proven by analysis of authentic head hair samples from drug users (n=103) and from opiate associated fatalities (n=21). The optimum cutoff values for the ELISA tests were 0.1 ng cocaine-equivalents/mg hair and 0.05 ng morphine-equivalents/mg hair using a 50 mg hair sample. Both ELISA tests had a sensitivity of 100%, the specificity was 66% for cocaine-equivalents and 42% for morphine-equivalents. The intraassay precision was 11% for the cocaine and 3% for the opiates ELISA, while interassay precision was 12% for the cocaine and 4% for the opiates ELISA test. The actual analyte concentrations in the hair samples were determined using GC-MS and were between 0.04 and 5.20 ng/mg for heroin (HER), between 0.04 and 30.01 ng/mg for 6-monoacetylmorphine (MAM), between 0.03 and 11.87 ng/mg for morphine (MOR), between 0.02 and 1.84 ng/mg for codeine (COD), between 0.02 and 2.48 ng/mg for acetylcodeine (AC), between 0.01 and 21.37 ng/mg for cocaine (COC), between 0.03 and 10.51 ng/mg for benzoylecgonine (BE) and between 0.05 and 1.26 ng/mg for cocaethylene (CE). The automated ELISA tests were proven to be valid screening procedures for the detection of cocaine and opiates in hair as confirmed by GC-MS. Screening methods provide rapid and inexpensive automated pre-test procedures to detect drugs in hair or other matrices. For forensic purposes screening therefore represents an ideal complement to routinely applied GC-MS procedures.     

Optimization of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) for the recovery of explosives from aqueous and post-explosion debris followed by gas and liquid chromatographic analysis

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) has been evaluated for the recovery of explosives residues from aqueous samples and real post-explosion solid debris samples and optimized using gas chromatography with an electron capture detector (GC-ECD) and high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV). A modified SPME/HPLC interface utilizing dual six-port valves allowed for independent optimization of SPME desorption and injection variables that provided improved chromatographic resolution and sensitivity. A unique combination of cyano and octadecyl columns resulted in the complete separation of the 14 explosives in EPA method 8330 mixture using HPLC with good quantitative results. At the optimum SPME conditions, the limits of detection (LOD) were found to be of 5 ng/mL to 16 ng/mL of explosives in water and 10 microg/kg to 40 microg/kg of explosives from soil. The technique has been successfully applied to the analysis of real post-explosion debris and can be adapted for use in the field utilizing portable chromatographic instruments.     

Simultaneous determination of opiates,cocaine and major metabolites of cocaine in human hair by gas chromotography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS)

A procedure is presented for the simultaneous identification and quantification of morphine (MOR), codeine (COD), ethylmorphine (EM), 6-monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM), cocaine (COC), benzoylecgonine (BZE), ecgonine methylester (EME) and cocaethylene (CE), contained in the hair of opiates and cocaine addicts. The method involves decontamination in dichloromethane, pulverization in a ball mill, heat-acid hydrolysis, addition of deuterated internal standards, liquid-liquid extraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) after silylation. The limit of detection (LOD) was ~0.1–0.8 ng/mg for each drug, using a 30-mg hair sample. The method is reproductible, with a coefficient of variation (CV) of ~8–17%. Cocaine and 6-monoacetylmorphine were the major compounds detected in cases of cocaine (14 cases) and heroin (68 cases) intake. Concentrations were in the range 0.4–78.4 ng/mg (COC), 0.0–36.3 ng/mg (BZE), 0.0–1.6 ng/mg (EME), 0.0–2.1 ng/mg (CE), 0.0–84.3 ng/mg (6-MAM), 0.2–27.1 ng/mg (MOR) and 0.1–19.6 ng/mg (COD). An application in forensic sciences, involving multi-sectional analysis, is given.     

Analysis of rosin and modified rosin esters in adhesives by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS)

The optimum method for analyzing glyceryl rosinate by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) was studied. The performances of dithranol, anthracene, and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, pyrene, trans,trans-1,4-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene, 9-nitroanthracene, indole-3-acrylic acid and retinoic acid as a matrix agent, and those of sodium trifluoroacetate (NaTFA) and silver trifluoroacetate (AgTFA) as a cationization agent were measured. Dithranol showed higher signal to noise ratio and lower base-line, and AgTFA showed better performance than NaTFA. In this study, however, NaTFA was chosen since the ester peaks with high signal to noise ratios were observed, and the spectra of sodium-cationized molecules are simpler than those of silver-cationized molecules. Rosin esters and modified rosin esters in 22 rubber-based pressure sensitive adhesives and a paper-cement were analyzed. Glyceryl rosinate, glyceryl disproportionated rosinate, pentaerythrityl rosinate and pentaerythrityl hydrogenated rosinate were easily detected despite the fact that rubber-based adhesives are complex mixtures of elastomers, tackifiers, antioxidants and other additives. The detection limit of this method was studied and 2% of glyceryl rosinate in a rubber-based pressure sensitive adhesive was detected. It has been proved that MALDI-TOF-MS is a useful analytical method to analyze rosin and modified rosin esters in adhesives.     

Analysis of 11-nor-9-carboxy-delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol in biological samples by gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (GC/MS-MS)

Gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (GC/MS-MS) analysis of 11-nor-carboxy-delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta(9)-THC-COOH), the major metabolite of delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol, in biological samples is reported. The proposed method, using deuterated delta(9)-THC-COOH as an internal standard, is able to detect the major metabolite of cannabis derivatives at very low levels (picograms/millilitre) with high specificity. These characteristics render the proposed analytical procedure suitable for confirmatory analysis in drug testing for cannabis use.     

Simultaneous analysis of amphetamine, methamphetamine, and 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in urine samples by solid-phase extraction, derivatization, and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

A rapid and effective solid-phase extraction procedure using Bond Elute Certify bonded silica sorbent cartridges was adopted to extract amphetamine, methamphetamine, and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or Ecstasy) from urine samples. The extract was derivatized with trichloroacetic anhydride prior to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis with selected ion monitoring of the following ions: 190, 91, 188; 204, 91, 202; 162, 135, 202; 194, 123; and 211, 209 for the derivatized amphetamine, methamphetamine, MDMA, d5-amphetamine, and d9-methamphetamine, respectively. The first of the ions listed for each compound was used for quantitation. The compound d5-amphetamine was used as the internal standard for amphetamine, and d9-methamphetamine was used for methamphetamine and MDMA. Results showed a higher than 65% recovery and a reproducibility with less than a 5% coefficient of variation. When a sample size of 2 mL was used, the lowest detectable concentration was about 50 ng/mL, and a near-perfect fit can be obtained (within the 250 to 4000-ng/mL concentration range studied) using a second-order polynomial model.