Rapid and highly selective GC/MS/MS detection of heroin and its metabolites in hair

Forensic Sci Int. 1993 Dec;63(1-3):217-25. doi: 10.1016/0379-0738(93)90275-f.

Abstract

A direct treatment of methanol-washed hair with a silylating solution is proposed to extract heroin, O-6-monoacetylmorphine, morphine, acetylcodeine, and codeine, obtaining the simultaneous derivatization of the hydroxylated metabolites and reducing potential sample contamination. Analysis is performed by capillary gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC/MS/MS) using multiple selected reaction monitoring. Owing to the selectivity and sensitivity of the GC/MS/MS analysis, and to the extremely simple treatment of the sample, the method fulfils the requirements of both clinical and forensic diagnosis of heroin use.

MeSH terms

  • Codeine / analogs & derivatives
  • Codeine / analysis
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Hair / chemistry*
  • Heroin* / analysis
  • Humans
  • Illicit Drugs / analysis*
  • Morphine / analysis
  • Morphine Derivatives / analysis
  • Nalorphine / analysis
  • Reference Values
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Substance Abuse Detection / methods*
  • Substance-Related Disorders / diagnosis*

Substances

  • Illicit Drugs
  • Morphine Derivatives
  • acetylcodeine
  • Heroin
  • Morphine
  • 6-O-monoacetylmorphine
  • Nalorphine
  • Codeine