Are there possibilities for the detection of chronically elevated alcohol consumption by hair analysis? A report about the state of investigation

The analysis of suitable ethanol markers in hair would be an advantageous t ool for chronic alcohol abuse control because of the wide diagnostic window allowed by this specimen and the possibility of segmental investigation. B etween the markers practically used or thoroughly investigated in blood or urine, ethylglucuronide, fatty acid ethylesters, phosphatidylethanol, aceta ldehyde adducts to protein and 5-hydroxytryptophol can be regarded as possi ble candidates also in hair, but preliminary data were found in the literat ure only for ethylglucuronide and acetaldehyde modified proteins. By using headspace gas chromatography and headspace solid phase microextrac tion in combination with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS), in alkaline hydrolysates of hair it was possible to determine between 17 a nd 135 ng/mg of ethanol beside acetone and several other volatile compounds with slightly higher ethanol values for alcoholics than for social drinker s and teetotalers. A part of this is ethanol only absorbed in the hair matr ix from the surrounding environment and consequently is not applicable as a diagnostic criterion. By extraction with aqueous buffer, methanol or a met hanol/chloroform mixture and subsequent alkaline hydrolysis it was found th at another part is generated from ethylesters, which are preferentially dep osited in the Lipid fraction of hair. In a specific search for ethylesters of 17 carboxylic acids by GC/MS-SIM in most cases ethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate ( 0.1 to 5.9 ng/mg, a preservative in hair cosmetics) and in four cases trace s of indolylacetic acid ethylester were found. Furthermore, diethyl phthala te (a softening agent, present also in many cosmetic products) was identifi ed in the hair of alcoholics as well as of children. As potential markers o f alcohol intake, ethyl palmitate, ethyl stearate and ethyl oleate were det ected in hair samples of alcoholics by headspace SPME-GC/MS of the chlorofo rm/methanol extracts. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights res erved.