Determination of meperidine, tramadol and oxycodone in human oral fluid using solid phase extraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

• Published in: Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences, 2007-05, Vol.850 (1), p.370-375
• Main Authors: Moore, Christine, Rana, Sumandeep, Coulter, Cynthia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analgesics - analysis; Analysis; Analytical, structural and metabolic biochemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry - methods; General pharmacology; Humans; Medical sciences; Meperidine; Meperidine - analysis; Oral fluid; Oxycodone; Oxycodone - analysis; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Reproducibility of Results; Saliva - chemistry; Sensitivity and Specificity; Tramadol; Tramadol - analysis
• ISSN: 1570-0232; 1873-376X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2006.12.008

Analytical procedures for the determination of meperidine, tramadol and oxycodone in oral fluid have been developed and validated using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS) following initial screening with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The oral fluid samples were collected using the Quantisal™ device, and any drugs present were quantified using mixed mode solid-phase extraction and electron impact GC/MS. For confirmation, three ions were monitored and two ion ratios determined, which were within 20% of those of the known calibration standards. The limits of quantitation were 10 ng/mL; the intra-day precision of the assays ( n = 5) was 2.33%, 1.00% and 7.61%; inter-day precision 2.48%, 2.44% and 5.8% ( n = 10) for meperidine, tramadol and oxycodone, respectively. The percentage recovery of the drugs from the collection pads was 86.7%, 87.7% and 96.6%, respectively ( n = 6). The methods were applied to specimens obtained during research studies in the USA.