Experimental

Results

• A urine sample was collected from a methadone substitution program.
  
  
• Glucuronide separation was followed by sorptive extraction (SPE) using SPEC DAU cation exchangers to extract the organic compounds from the urine.
  
  
• The underivatised sample was then evaporated and concentrated in 50 µL MeOH and a 1 µL aliquot used for GC/TOF-MS analysis.
  
  
• Conditions:
  • Column: Optima 5 Accent 10 m x 0.2 mm x 0.35 µm
  • Run time: 10 min Transfer line: 250°C
  • Mass range: m/z 35–635
  • Scan rate/scanset rate: 10 kHz/2 H
  •  Ion source: 260°C
  
  
• A target library of the compounds of interest was created in the BenchTOF-dx software package. The GC/MS data for the urine sample was then imported and searched for targets.

Section of report listing drugs of abuse found in the urine sample

The TIC is affected by high levels of background interference, expected of the nature of the sample. The TIC was imported into the BenchTOF-dx software which applies background compensation and deconvolution algorithms to the data followed by chemometric analysis of ‘clean’ peak spectra to identify target compounds.

The high S/N and quality of spectra derived from the BenchTOF-dx enhance the capabilities of the data interrogation software, ensuring reliable identification of compounds down to the lowest concentrations, e.g. alprazolam, and in underivatised forms.

Overlaid chromatograms showing amisulpride and alprazolam co-eluting

The similarity of spectra is excellent despite the large matrix interference