ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 9

Hair Analysis for Drug Abuse: I. Determination of Methamphetamine and Amphetamine in Hair by Stable Isotope Dilution Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry Method
Takahashi, K
Section chief and senior forensic chemists, Narcotics Section, National Institute of Hygienic Sciences,

Shimamine, M
Section chief and senior forensic chemists, Narcotics Section, National Institute of Hygienic Sciences,

Nakahara, Y
Section chief and senior forensic chemists, Narcotics Section, National Institute of Hygienic Sciences,

Takeda, Y
Head, Division of Drugs, National Institute of Hygienic Sciences,

(Received 6 January 1990; accepted 14 February 1990)

Abstract

Determination of methamphetamine and amphetamine in hair was performed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry using stable isotope-labeled internal standards, 2-methylamino-1-phenylpropane-2,3,3,3-d⁴ and 2-amino-1-phenylpropane-2,3,3,3-d⁴. Extraction of hair with methanol/5M hydrochloric acid (20:1) using ultrasonication was chosen as the standard method. The calibration curves for amphetamines in the hair were linear from 1 to 100 ng/mg (r > 0.99). The detection limit was 0.5 ng/mg at the 95% confidence level. The coefficients of variation (CV) (n = 8) of analysis using the spiked hair with methamphetamine were from 0.7 to 6%. The CV (n = 8) of analysis of the methamphetamine abuser's hair was 17.5%. Sectional analysis of monkey and human hair after methamphetamine ingestion suggested a good correlation between the duration of drug use and drug distribution in the hair.

Keywords:
toxicology, hair, methamphetamine, amphetamine, stable isotope dilution, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), hair analysis, drug abuse history

Paper ID: JFS13007J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS13007J
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