Published: Journal of Analytical Toxicology, Volume 23, Number 7, Nov/Dec 1999, pp.586-590

Determination by ¹H NMR Spectroscopy of Paraquat in Urine from Acutely Poisoned Patients. Comparison with Second-Derivative Spectroscopy Method
Michel Imbenotte, Nathalie Azaroual, Daniel Mathieu, Bernard Cartigny, Gaston Vermeersch, and
Michel Lhermitte

The application of ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to characterize and quantitate paraquat in urine is described. Characterization was performed taking advantage of two NMR spectroscopy parameters: chemical shifts and coupling patterns. Without any pretreatment of the biological samples, herbicide was detected by its aromatic doublets at 8.49 and 9.02 ppm. Quantitation of the xenobiotic was realized by relative integration of the dipyridyl protons to an internal standard. After a validation step using control urine samples, quantitation was performed in urine obtained from two poisoned patients. On admission, mean paraquat concentrations were 985 (patient 1) and 500 (patient 2) µmol/L. Results are compared and found to be in good agreement, using a second-derivative spectroscopy method.

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