Thermo Fisher Scientific has introduced a method for the confirmation of amphetamines in urine using the ISQ single-quadrupole gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) instrument.
The instrument can analyse a greater number of sympathomimetic amines in urine in line with the updated US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs.
The method is detailed in an application note entitled 'Confirmation and Quantitation of an Expanded Panel of Sympathomimetic Amines in Urine Using Single-Quadrupole GC/MS', which can be downloaded from the Thermo Fisher Scientific website.
As part of the updated SAMHSA guidelines, multiple changes were made for the confirmation of amphetamine-class urine analysis.
In addition to SAMHSA's previously published guidelines for amphetamine and methamphetamine, three amphetamine-analogue drugs were added to the panel, including: 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA); 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA); and 3,4-methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA).
The confirmatory cut-ff concentration level for the regulated amphetamines has also been lowered from 500ng/mL to 250ng/mL.
To enable its customers to comply with these changes, Thermo Fisher has developed a method for the confirmation and quantification of the extended sympathomimetic amine panel in human urine using the ISQ single-quadrupole GC-MS.
The method also complies with requirements outlined by the College of American Pathologists (CAP), the Society of Forensic Toxicologists (SOFT) and the European Workplace Drug Testing Society (EWDTS).
The new method offers broad linearity to cover a range of analyte concentrations, with R2 values of 0.9990 or higher for all analytes over the range of 25-25,000ng/mL.
Thermo Fisher Scientific said it also offers good precision near the 250ng/mL cut-off set out by SAMHSA and detection and quantification limits are set at 25ng/mL, ensuring sensitive performance.
Furthermore, the method enables MDEA to elute at a retention time of less than five minutes, enabling increased productivity in high-throughput toxicology laboratories when confirming the five amphetamine-analogue drugs now included in the revised SAMHSA guidelines.
The ISQ GC-MS is described as a robust and rugged system that provides high-throughput sample confirmatory analyses and 24/7 operation.
The Extractabrite removable ion source feature is designed to provide maximum uptime and productivity by extending the length of time between required source maintenance.
As a result, the ISQ system offers simplified operation and maximum uptime for uninterrupted productivity across routine GC/MS applications including general forensics, forensic toxicology, food safety and environmental.
