DETERMINATION OF AMPHETAMINE, METHAMPHETAMINE AND DIMETHAMPHETAMINE IN HUMAN URINE BY SOLID-PHASE MICROEXTRACTION (SPME) GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHYMASS-SPECTROMETRY

A simple and rapid assay method for three stimulant drugs (amphetamine , methamphetamine, and dimethamphetamine) in human urine using solid-p hase microextraction was developed. In solid-phase microextraction, th e drugs were equilibrated between the adsorbent coated-fiber and aqueo us sample matrix. After adsorption of the analytes, the fiber was dire ctly transferred to the injector of a gas chromatograph, where the ana lytes were thermally desorbed and subsequently separated by the gas ch romatograph and detected by mass spectrometer. The solid-phase microex traction method, which did not require solvents, was found to be a fas t and simple analytical method. We optimized the solid-phase microextr action technique, for factors such as the NaCl salt effect (30%), pH e ffect (pH=12.4), equilibration time (30 min), desorption time (1 min) and coated-fiber type (100 mu m poly(dimethylsiloxane)) and detected t he stimulants in human urine, obtained from human subjects. The detect ion limits of each drug were below 1-10 ng/ml. The developed method ca n be applied to the abused drug test. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. A ll rights reserved.