Abstract
For the high sensitive and selective detection of methamphetamine (MA) and amphetamine (AP) in abusers' hair, we examined and analyzed acylated derivatives of MA and AP by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. MA and AP were derivatized by trifluoroacetic acid anhydride (TFAA) or pentafluoropropionic acid anhydride (PFPA), as the general acylating reagents. Acylated derivatives were stabilized at least one week in methanol (sample solution) and until 4 hours at 40°C in methanol containing aqueous buffer solution (eluent solution). In both cases of derivatizaton by treatment with TFAA or PFPA, the calibration curves were linear up to at least 200 ng for MA and AP, and the detection limits were 10 pg for MA and 100 pg for AP, respectively, in the selected ion monitoring mode. This method could be successfully applied to the MA abusers' hair samples.
