GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHIC MASS-SPECTROMETRIC DETERMINATION OF BETA(2)-AGONISTS IN POSTMORTEM BLOOD - APPLICATION IN FORENSIC MEDICINE

A solid-phase extraction procedure is described for the simultaneous d etermination of terbutaline, salbutamol and fenoterol in human postmor tem whole blood, using gas chromatography-electron impact mass spectro metry. The limit of quantitation in 1 ml of blood was 1 ng/ml for all analytes. A linear response was observed over the concentration ranges tested, covering both low and high concentrations of each drug. The r ecoveries in postmortem blood were: terbutaline, 88%; salbutamol, 86%; fenoterol, 92%; orciprenaline (internal standard), 86%. Coefficients of variation for both intra-assay precision and inter-assay reproducib ility ranged between 2.2 and 13.0% for all analytes. This method is se nsitive and selective, and has been applied successfully to over 60 po stmortem blood specimens.