Development and Validation of a Single Step GC/MS Method for the Determination of 41 Drugs and Drugs of Abuse in Postmortem Blood

A toxicology laboratory often receives a high number of samples from cases (autopsies or clinical) that may require the quick delivery trustworthy, accurate results. Thus, there is great need for fast and reliable method capable identifying determining large drugs abuse in biological matrices, especially blood. In present study, we describe development simple gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) determination 41 (DOA) Sample pre-treatment by alkaline liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) was studied through utilization different solvents solvent-to-sample ratios (v/v), which aimed to achieve greater efficiency detection sensitivity with decreased sample volumes. Butyl acetate sample-to-solvent ratio 4:1 (1 mL blood: 0.25 butyl acetate) most efficient. The validated all analytes, evaluation parameters were within acceptance criteria. coefficient (R2) between 0.9934 1, limits (LODs) ranged 1 ng/mL 113 ng/mL, quantification (LOQs) 4 375 analytes. determinations (accuracy% 84% 114%) precise (RSD% 0.66% 14.8% low concentrations). Deconvolution Reporting Software (DRS) GC-MS optimized applied data analysis enhance identification potential, thereby avoiding false identifications (false positives) increased productivity. NIST Automated Mass Spectral Identification (AMDIS) analytical utility Retention Time Lock (RTL) Database Library assisted evaluation. 89 postmortem (history mental disorders use psychiatric pharmaceuticals) diazepam (0.13 4.34 μg/mL), citalopram (0.04 0.24 alprazolam (0.01 0.12 olanzapine (0.009 0.083 mirtazapine 0.33 venlafaxine (0.006 0.92 haloperidol (0.007 0.13 zolpidem 0.16 μg/mL) successfully quantitated.