Application of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to the analysis of benzodiazepines in blood

Eur. J. Mass Spectrom. 9, 599–607 (2003)
DOI: 10.1255/ejms.573

Application of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to the analysis of benzodiazepines in blood

Hazel M. Rivera and G. Stewart Walker
School of Chemistry, Physics and Earth Sciences, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
D. Noel Sims^* and Peter C. Stockham
Forensic Science SA, 21 Divett Place, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia

ABSTRACT:

A sensitive and selective high-performance liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/APCI-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous detection of 18 benzodiazepines and metabolites in human blood is described. The procedure utilises butyl chloride extraction at alkaline pH followed by reversed-phase liquid chromatography. The technique is suitable for screening analyses and confirmation of identity of the benzodiazepines at their lowest reported therapeutic concentrations using 500 μL of blood. The method has been successfully applied in forensic cases involving low concentrations of benzodiazepines.

Keywords: forensic toxicology, HPLC/MS/MS, ion trap, benzodiazepines, blood

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