Analysis of Methamphetamine and Amphetamine in Oral Fluid of Eleven Drug Abusers

A qualitative and quantitative analytical method was developed for detection of methamphetamine (MA) and its main metabolite amphetamine (AM) in oral fluid. Oral fluids of eleven drug abusers were provided by Police, specimens were collected by stimulation with a cotton swab treated with 20 mg of citric acid ($Salivette^{(R)}$; Sarstedt, USA). As the preliminary test, oral fluid samples were screened for amphetamines by Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay (TDxFLx, Abbott Co.). Extraction for MA was performed using solid-phase extraction (SPE) by $RapidTrace^{TM}$ (Zymark, USA) with mixed mode cation exchange cartridge, CLEAN $SCREEN^{(R)}$ (130 mg/3 ml, UCT) after dilution with phosphate buffer. Samples were evaporated and derivatized by pentafluoropropionic acid anhydride (PFPA). Quantitation of MA and AM was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) using selective ion monitoring (SIM), the quantitation ions were m/z 204 (MA), 208 (MA-$D_5$), 190 (AM) and 194 (AM-$D_5$). The selectivity, linearity of calibration, limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) within- and between day precision, accuracy and recoveries were examined as parts of the method validation. All oral fluid samples gave positive results to immunoassay for MA (cut-off level, 50 ng/ml as d-amphetamine). Concentrations of MA and AM by GC-MS in eleven samples were ranged 104.2${\sim}$4603.3 ng/ml and 32.4${\sim}$268.6 ng/ml, respectively. Extracted calibration curves of MA and AM were linear over the two concentration range of 1${\sim}$100 and 50${\sim}$1000 ng/ml with correlation coefficient of above 0.999. LOQ of MA and AM was 1 and 3 ng/ml, respectively. The intraand inter-day run precisions (CV) for MA and AM were less than 10%, and the accuracies (bias) for MA and AM were also less than 10% at the two different concentrations 5 and 100 ng/ml at low calibration range, 50 and 1000 ng/ml at high calibration range. The absolute recoveries of MA and AM at low and high calibration ranges were more than 82% and 75%, respectively. In this study the qualitative and quantitative analytical method of MA in oral fluid was established. Oral fluid testing may detect drug use in past hours because of its shorter detection window than urine, and be useful in post-accident situations. So oral fluids will be most useful for testing drug abuse in the driving under the influence of drug (DUID) as the alternative specimens of urine.

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