Fluoride derivatization-enabled sensitive and simultaneous detection of biomarkers for nitrogen mustard in human plasma and urine via gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

Methyl-diethanolamine (CAS: 105-59-9), ethyl-diethanolamine (CAS: 139-87-7), and triethanolamine (CAS: 102-71-6) were identified as the degradation products and bio-markers of nitrogen mustard exposure. Sensitive and convenient detection methods for amino alcohol are of great importance to identify nitrogen mustard exposure in forensic analysis. Herein, analytical methods including gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry combined with heptafluorobutyryl derivatization and solid phase extraction were established for retrospective detection of the biomarkers in human plasma and urine samples. The efficiency of the method was improved by optimizing the conditions for sample preparation and the GC-MS/MS method. The optimization included the derivatization temperature, reaction time, reagent dosage and solid phase extraction cartridges, eluent and pH of the loading sample. The results indicated that the SCX cartridge resulted in better enrichment and purification effects, and the best recovery could be obtained with pH = 3-4 for the loading samples and an eluent of 2 mL 10% NH4OH/MeOH. The GC-MS/MS parameters were also optimized for better specificity and sensitivity. The established method was fully validated for each analyte both in plasma and urine matrixes. The linear range of analytes in plasma was 1.0-1000 ng mL-1 with a correlation parameter (R2) of & GE;0.994, intra-day/inter-day accuracy of 93.7-117%, and relative standard deviation (RSD) of & LE;6.5%. Meanwhile the results in urine were 1.0-1000 ng mL-1 with R2 of & GE;0.996, intra-day/inter-day accuracy of 94.3-122%, and RSD of & LE;6.6%. The detection limit of the analytes was 1.0 ng mL-1. The method was applied for the detection and identification of trace amino alcohols present in urine samples dispatched by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the results were confirmed to be correct. Methyl-diethanolamine (CAS: 105-59-9), ethyl-diethanolamine (CAS: 139-87-7), and triethanolamine (CAS: 102-71-6) were identified as the degradation products and bio-markers of nitrogen mustard exposure.

Automated summary

This study established sensitive and convenient detection methods for amino alcohol, which are important for identifying nitrogen mustard exposure in forensic analysis. The efficiency of the method was improved by optimizing sample preparation conditions and the GC-MS/MS method. The developed method showed good validation results in plasma and urine samples, with a detection limit of 1.0 ng mL-1.