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Published:
Journal of Analytical Toxicology,
ISSN 0146-4760,
Volume 25, Number 7, October, pp. 583-593
Urine Concentrations of Ketamine and Norketamine Following
Illegal Consumption
Karla A. Moore, Jason Sklerov, Barry Levine, and
Aaron J. Jacobs
Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Division of Forensic Toxicology, 1413 Research
Blvd., Bldg. 102, Rockville, Maryland 20850-3125
Ketamine, an anesthetic agent primarily used in veterinary medicine
and pediatrics, continues to gain in popularity in the drug abuse scene or “Rave
Wave” of all-night dance clubs. The Division of Forensic Toxicology Laboratory
(Office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner) at the Armed Forces Institute
of Pathology, as the primary analytical laboratory for criminal investigative
agencies in the Department of Defense (DOD), has seen requests for ketamine
analysis rise from 1 in 1997 to 116 in 2000. This increasing abuse has led the
DOD Urine Drug Testing Laboratories to consider adding ketamine screening to
their random urinalysis program. However, before ketamine testing can be implemented
as standard policy, concentrations of ketamine and metabolites in urine need
to be evaluated after actual drug use. There is very little information regarding
the pharmacokinetics of ketamine, especially concentrations of the drug or its
two major metabolites, norketamine and dehydronorketamine, that can be expected
in urine. In fact, dehydronorketamine has been believed to be an analytical
artifact caused by the high temperatures of gas chromatography. In this paper,
we attempt to resolve this issue with the development of a liquid chromatography–mass
spectrometry (LC–MS) method. The urine concentrations of ketamine, norketamine
and dehydronorketamine (presumptive) detected in 33 “positive” cases
received in our laboratory since 1998 are reported. Quantitations were accomplished
with LC–MS. Ketamine concentrations ranged from 6 to 7744 ng/mL. Norketamine
concentrations ranged from 7 to 7986 ng/mL and dehydronorketamine (presumptive)
concentrations ranged from 37 to 23,239 ng/mL.
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