Toxicological testing for drugs of abuse is responsible for a large number of forensic analyses each year. A major challenge in toxicological analysis is that no single rapid, broad-spectrum technique is available for screening of biological samples for drugs of abuse and associated metabolites. MRIGlobal has addressed this need through development of a screening method that combines solid phase micro-extraction (SPME) with direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (DART-MS). Samples are simultaneously extracted and pre-concentrated using SPME. This increases the concentration of analyte introduced to the mass spectrometer and reduces the background associated with common biological matrix interferences, such as urea in urine, while minimizing hands-on sample preparation time. Direct-immersion SPME was employed to screen controlled substances and their metabolites. DART-MS analysis of the SPME fiber allows sample introduction in ambient pressure and provides target identification based on exact mass measurements from time-of-flight mass spectrometry. This experimental approach resulted in an extremely rapid and highly discriminatory analytical method that minimizes the need for multiple immunoassay and chromatography-based screening panels.

Screening for drugs of abuse and their metabolites in biological matrices using solid-phase microextraction and Direct Analysis in Real Time-Mass Spectrometry (SPME-DART-MS)

254th National Meeting (2017)

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