Enzymatic Digestion and Selective Quantification of Underivatised Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cocaine in Human Hair Using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

[摘要] Gas chromatography-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) methods for drug analysis routinely employ derivatising reagents. The aim of this paper was to develop a method for the analysis of two recreational drugs, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and cocaine in hair samples using GC-MS, without prior derivatisation, thus allowing the sample to be reanalysed in its original form. An enzymatic digestion technique was also developed. Ten hair samples, that were known positive for eitherΔ9-THC and/or cocaine, were enzymatically digested, extracted, and then analysed by GC-MS. All samples measured containedΔ9-THC and one sample contained cocaine. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were 0.02 ng/mg and 0.05 ng/mg, respectively, for cocaine and 0.015 ng/mg and 0.02 ng/mg, respectively, forΔ9-THC. The wide detection window, ease of direct analysis by GC-MS, lower detection limits of underivatised samples, and the stability of drugs using this technique may offer an improved method of analysis.

[学科分类] 分析化学