Analysis of Cocaine and Cocaethylene in Blood and Tissues by GC-NPD and GC-Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry

Cocaethylene, the ethyl homolog of cocaine, is an active cocaine metabolite found in cocaine users who simultaneously consume cocaine and ethanol. To study the combined incidence of cocaine and cocaethylene, an analytical method was devised that would simultaneously quantify both drugs in whole bloo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of analytical toxicology 1991-09, Vol.15 (5), p.241-245
Main Authors: Hime, George W., Hearn, W. Lee, Rose, Stefan, Cofino, Julio
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Biological and medical sciences
Blood
Brain Chemistry
Cocaethylene
Cocaine
Cocaine - analogs & derivatives
Cocaine - analysis
Cocaine - blood
Drug abuse
Drug addictions
Ethanol
Ethanol - analysis
Female
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry - methods
Humans
Male
Mass spectroscopy
Medical sciences
Metabolites
Substance-Related Disorders - diagnosis
Toxicology
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Summary:Cocaethylene, the ethyl homolog of cocaine, is an active cocaine metabolite found in cocaine users who simultaneously consume cocaine and ethanol. To study the combined incidence of cocaine and cocaethylene, an analytical method was devised that would simultaneously quantify both drugs in whole blood or tissues. The method includes a quantitative procedure by GC-NPD with a confirmation by ion trap mass spectrometry. Propylbenzoylecgonine, the propyl homolog of cocaine, was used as the internal standard. The quantitative method was linear from 0.05 to 10.0 mg/L with a limit of detection of 0.02 mg/L. Cocaethylene and propylbenzoylecgonine were synthesized in the laboratory. The complete analytical procedure and the method of synthesis are presented, along with brief descriptions of medical examiner cases where both cocaine and cocaethylene were quantified and where cocaethylene may have played a part in the cause of death. In the five cases presented, the cocaine concentration ranged from 0.03 to 1.4 mg/L and cocaethylene ranged from 0.03 to 0.53 mg/L in the blood.
ISSN:0146-4760
1945-2403
DOI:10.1093/jat/15.5.241