The determination of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol and 11-nor-9-carboxy-delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol in whole blood using solvent extraction combined with polar solid-phase extraction.

A method for the determination of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and 11-nor-9-carboxy-delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THCCOOH) in whole blood using conventional solvent extraction followed by a cleanup using polar solid-phase cartridges is described. The method uses 0.5 mL of blood, and detection is by benchtop gas chromatography-mass selective detection using selected ion monitoring. The limit of detection is better than 1 ng/mL, and extraction efficiencies are greater than 80% for THC and 70% for THCCOOH. The method is robust and highly reproducible.

Putrefactive pleural effusions as an alternative sample for drug quantification.

In the investigation of drug-related deaths it is occasionally necessary to examine putrefied bodies. In such cases the availability of conventional body fluids for toxicologic analysis is usually limited, whereas blood-stained pleural effusion is often present in adequate quantity in the pleural cavity. Fifty-five cases involving numerous drugs are presented in which pleural effusion drug concentrations are compared with corresponding blood or liver concentrations. More than 90% of comparisons produced coincident interpretations of the role that drugs played in the deaths. In most instances pleural effusion analysis was shown to be a valid alternative to the analysis of blood or other conventional fluids or tissues in cases exhibiting advanced putrefaction.

Recent paramethoxyamphetamine deaths.

Paramethoxyamphetamine (PMA) is a methoxylated phenethylamine derivative that has been used illicitly in Australia since late 1994. It is purportedly sold under the guise of "ecstasy", which is the colloquial name for methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). Methods for extraction, identification, and quantitation are presented. Toxicology findings in six fatalities involving the drug are discussed. Femoral blood PMA levels ranged from 0.24 to 4.9 mg/L (mean, 2.3 mg/L). Liver PMA levels ranged from 1.4 to 21 mg/kg (mean, 8.9 mg/kg). Other amphetamines were found in five of the six cases. Blood PMA levels in three nonfatal cases are also presented. PMA appeared to be more toxic than MDMA, and blood levels greater than 0.5 mg/L seemed likely to be associated with toxic effects.

Application of a simple extraction procedure using aqueous ammonia to the analysis of basic drugs in blood by gas chromatography.

A simple and reliable previously reported extraction procedure has been extended to the analysis of a wide range of basic and neutral drugs in postmortem blood and other tissues. The method employs 200 microliters of blood treated with water and ammonia and extracted with diethyl ether. The concentrated extract is generally sufficiently clean for direct analysis by gas chromatography and high pressure liquid chromatography. Recovery, precision and linearity data are presented for selected drugs.