Quantification of nicotine, cotinine, trans-3′-hydroxycotinine, nornicotine and norcotinine in human meconium by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

There are no analytical methods that simultaneously quantify nicotine, cotinine, trans-3′-hydroxycotinine, nornicotine and norcotinine in human meconium. Such a method could improve identification of in utero tobacco exposure, determine if maternal dose–meconium concentration relationships exist, and whether nicotine meconium concentrations predict neonatal outcomes. The first liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry method for simultaneous quantification of these analytes in meconium was developed and validated. Specimen preparation included homogenization, enzyme hydrolysis and solid phase extraction. The linear range was 1.25 or 5–500 ng/g. Method applicability was evaluated with meconium collected from an in utero tobacco exposed infant.