Single-step procedure for gas chromatography–mass spectrometry screening and quantitative determination of amphetamine-type stimulants and related drugs in blood, serum, oral fluid and urine samples

We describe a rapid GC/MS assay for amphetamine-type stimulant drugs (ATSs) and structurally related common medicaments in blood, serum, oral fluid and urine samples. The drugs were extracted from their matrices and derivatized with heptafluorobutyric anhydride (HFBA) in a single step, using the following procedure: 100 μl (oral fluid) or 200 μl (blood, serum, urine) of the sample were mixed with 50 μl of alkaline buffer and 500 μl of extraction–derivatization reagent (toluene + HFBA + internal standard), centrifuged, and injected into a GC/MS apparatus. As revealed by the validation data this procedure, with its limit of quantitation being set at 20 ng/ml for oral fluid, 25 ng/ml for blood or 200 ng/ml for urine, is suitable for screening, identification and quantitative determination of the ATSs and related drugs in all the matrices examined. Thus, time-consuming and expensive multiple analyses are not needed, unless specifically required.