'High throughput' solid-phase extraction technology and turbo ionspray LC-MS-MS applied to the determination of haloperidol in human plasma

A quantitative method for the analysis of haloperidol in human plasma is de scribed. Sample clean-up was performed by means of solid-phase extraction u sing 3M Empore(TM) extraction disk plates in the 96-well format, automated with a Canberra Packard pipetting robot. Separation was performed by revers ed phase high performance liquid chromatography with turbo ionspray tandem mass spectrometric detection by monitoring the decay of protonated haloperi dol of m/z 376 to its fragment at m/z 165, versus the decay of protonated h aloperidol-D4 at m/z 380 to its fragment at m/z 169. The validated concentr ation range was from 0.100 to 50.0 ng ml(-1), with an inaccuracy and overal l imprecision below 10% at all concentration levels. Validation results on linearity, specificity, precision, accuracy and stability are shown and are found to be adequate. The average sample preparation time for a batch of 9 6 samples is approximately 50 min. The chromatographic run time is 3 min. A sample throughput of at least 240 samples per day can be achieved. (C) 199 9 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.