Sensitive determination of pethidine in body fluids by surface ionization organic mass spectrometry

We have presented a simple and sensitive method for determining pethidine, a narcotic analgesic drug in body fluids by gas chromatography (GC)/surface ionization organic mass spectrometry (SIOMS). Good linearity was obtained in the range of 0.625-25 ng/ml of whole blood and urine by mass chromatogra phy, and in the range of 0.05-2 ng/ml of whole blood by selected ion monito ring (SIM). Pethidine and diphenylpyraline (internal standard) were extract ed from body fluids with Bond Elut Certify cartridges: their recoveries wer e above 95%. The detection limits (signal-to-noise ratio=3) were estimated to be 0.2 ng/ml of whole blood or urine by mass chromatography, 0.02 ng/ml of whole blood by SIM. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.