Simultaneous enantioselective determination of amphetamine and congeners in hair specimens by negative chemical ionization gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Abstract

Enantioselective quantification of amphetamine (AM), methamphetamine (MA), 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and 3,4-methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA) enantiomers in hair using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) is described. Hair specimens were digested with 1 M sodium hydroxide at 100 °C for 30 min and extracted by a solid phase procedure using Cleanscreen ZSDAU020. Extracted analytes were derivatised with ( S)-heptafluorobutyrylprolyl chloride and the resulting diastereoisomers were quantified by GC–MS operating in the negative chemical ionization mode. Extraction yields were between 73.0 and 97.9%. Limits of detection varied in the range of 2.1–45.9 pg/mg hair, whereas the lowest limits of quantification varied between 4.3 and 91.8 pg/mg hair. Intra- and inter-assay precision and respective accuracy were acceptable. The enantiomeric ratios ( R versus S) of AM, MA, MDA, MDMA and MDEA were determined in hair from suspected amphetamine abusers. Only MA and AM enantiomers were detectable in this collective and the quantification data showed in most cases higher concentrations of ( R)-MA and ( R)-AM than those of the corresponding ( S)-enantiomers.