LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY MASS-SPECTROMETRY IN FORENSIC AND CLINICAL TOXICOLOGY

This paper reviews liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric (LC-MS) p rocedures for the identification and/or quantification of drugs of abu se, therapeutic drugs, poisons and/or their metabolites in biosamples (whole blood, plasma, serum, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, vitreous humo r, liver or hair) of humans or animals (cattle, dog, horse, mouse, pig or rat). Papers published from 1995 to early 1997, which are relevant to clinical toxicology, forensic toxicology, doping control or drug m etabolism and pharmacokinetics, were taken into consideration. They co ver the following analytes: amphetamines, cocaine, lysergide (LSD), op iates, anabolics, antihypertensives, benzodiazepines, cardiac glycosid es, corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, neuroleptics, non-steroidal a nti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), opioids, quaternary amines, xanthins, biogenic poisons such as aconitines, aflatoxins, amanitins and nicotin e, and pesticides. LC-MS interface types, mass spectral detection mode s, sample preparation procedures and chromatographic systems applied i n the reviewed papers are discussed. Basic information about the biosa mple assayed, work-up, LC column, mobile phase, interface type, mass s pectral detection mode, and validation data of each procedure is summa rized in tables. Examples of typical LC-MS applications are presented. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.