Detection of paracetamol in skin tissue by GC-MS: A case study.

ABSTRACT

A 13 year-old child suffered an anaphylactic reaction to a drug combination and died in the clinic. The Investigating Officer collected an assortment of drugs and injection vials from the clinic and forwarded them along with the injection site of the victim's skin and some viscera to the laboratory for examination. At the laboratory, the samples were subjected to chemical and chromatographic analysis. After extracting the drug from the biological samples, TLC was done using a new solvent system, which improved the separation of drug from the matrix. A gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) method devised for the determination of paracetamol residue in skin tissues was done. This method allows for detection of residual drug in biological tissues by using single-ion monitoring, and confirmation by a full scan electron impact (El) mass spectrum. Paracetamol was extracted with ether/chloroform from the samples after acidic and basic extraction procedures, cleaned up and washed, followed by partition between chloroform. The cleaned up extract was injected into the GC-MS, and detection was done using single ion monitoring at m/z 109.