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MALDI–TOF mass spectrometric determination of four amphetamines in blood

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Abstract

A rapid and sensitive detection method using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry was developed for the analysis of amphetamine (A), methamphetamine (MA), 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). In this method, α-cyano-4-hydroxy cinnamic acid was used as the matrix to assist the ionization of amphetamines. The MS spectra of these amphetamines showed protonated molecules [M + H]+ and fragment ions with comparable or higher intensities. The quantifications of A and MA were performed using A-d 7 and MA-d 5 as the internal standard, respectively, and those of MDA and MDMA were performed using MDMA-d 5 as the internal standard. The limit of detection and the quantification range using 20 μl of blood were about 10 ng/ml and 30–500 ng/ml for A and MDA, respectively, and about 1 ng/ml and 3–50 ng/ml for MA and MDMA, respectively. In two cases of poisoning in which MA was abused, the levels of A in blood and urine were from 0.050 to 3.24 μg/ml and the levels of MA were from 0.231 to 25.1 μg/ml.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. K. Hara of Fukuoka University for kindly providing the standard and deuterated samples of amphetamines. This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (Number 25460867) from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports, and Culture of Japan.

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There are no financial or other relations that could lead to a conflict interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Legal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, 431-3192, Japan

    Kayoko Minakata, Hideki Nozawa, Itaru Yamagishi, Koutaro Hasegawa, Amin Wurita, Kunio Gonmori, Kanako Watanabe & Osamu Suzuki

  2. Research Equipment Center, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, 431-3192, Japan

    Masako Suzuki

Authors
  1. Kayoko Minakata
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  2. Hideki Nozawa
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  3. Itaru Yamagishi
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  4. Koutaro Hasegawa
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  5. Amin Wurita
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  6. Kunio Gonmori
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  7. Masako Suzuki
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  8. Kanako Watanabe
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  9. Osamu Suzuki
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kayoko Minakata.

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Minakata, K., Nozawa, H., Yamagishi, I. et al. MALDI–TOF mass spectrometric determination of four amphetamines in blood. Forensic Toxicol 32, 299–304 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11419-014-0229-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11419-014-0229-6

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