Electrospray ionisation–mass spectrometric characterisation of selected anti-psychotic drugs and their detection and determination in human hair samples by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

Electrospray ionisation quadrupole ion-trap mass spectrometric (ESI–MS) characterisation of the anti-psychotic drugs chlorpromazine, trifluoperazine, flupenthixol, risperidone and the antidepressant/internal standard trimipramine is presented and possible mechanisms for the observed MSn fragmentation patterns proposed. A validated liquid chromatography (LC)–MS–MS method is then applied to the detection and determination of these drugs in the hair of a patient under clinical treatment for schizophrenia. Chlorpromazine, trifluoperazine and flupenthixol are identified and determined in this hair sample following alkaline degradation of the matrix, solvent extraction and LC–MS–MS using trimipramine as internal standard.