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Published:
Journal of Analytical Toxicology,
ISSN 0146-4760,
Volume 25,
Number 6 September 2001, pp. 431-438
Detection of Non-Prescription
Heroin Markers in Urine with Liquid Chromatography–Atmospheric Pressure
Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry
M.J.
Bogusz
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital
and Research Centre, P.O. Box 3354, 11211 Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
R.D. Maier, M. Erkens, and U. Kohls
Institute of Forensic Medicine, Aachen University of Technology, Germany
The
planned introduction of a prescription heroin program in Germany created a
need for differentiation between non-prescription and prescribed diamorphine
use. The following substances were chosen as markers of non-prescription heroin:
acetylcodeine (AC); its metabolites codeine (C) and codeine 6-glucuronide
(C6G); papaverine (P); and noscapine (N). Typical heroin markers diamorphine
(DAM) and its metabolites monoacetylmorphine (MAM) and morphine (M) were also
determined. The drugs were extracted from urine samples with solid-phase extraction
(C18) using standard 200-mg columns and 96-well microplates (100 mg). The
extracts were examined with liquid chromatography–atmospheric pressure
chemical ionization mass spectrometry (positive ionization) in two isocratic
systems. Selected ion monitoring procedures were applied for protonated molecular
masses and characteristic fragments of drugs involved. The limits of detection
were in the range of 0.5–1 ng/mL urine. The occurrence of selected heroin
markers was investigated in 25 urine samples collected from heroin abusers
(road traffic offenders and overdosed patients). C6G was found in all samples,
C in 24 samples, N in 22 samples, MAM in 16 samples, P in 14 samples, DAM
in 12 samples, and AC in 4 samples. The appearance of these compounds in urine
reflects their pharmacokinetic properties and the composition of non-prescription
heroin.
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