Development of a simple one-pot extraction method for various drugs and metabolites of forensic interest in blood by modifying the QuEChERS method

A rapid and convenient extraction method has been developed for the determination of various drugs and metabolites of forensic interest in blood by modifying the dispersive solid-phase extraction method “QuEChERS”. The following 13 analytes with various chemical properties were used for the method development and its validation: amphetamine, methamphetamine, zolpidem, the carboxylate-form major metabolite of zolpidem M-1, flunitrazepam, 7-aminoflunitrazepam, phenobarbital, triazolam, α-hydroxytriazolam, brotizolam, α-hydroxybrotizolam, chlorpromazine, and promethazine. The modification of the QuEChERS method includes the use of relatively large amounts of inorganic salts in order to coagulate blood, which allows easy isolation of the organic extract phase. A combination of 100 mg anhydrous magnesium sulfate as a dehydrating agent, 50 mg sodium chloride as a salting-out agent, and 500 μL acetonitrile containing 0.2% acetic acid as the organic solvent provided the optimum conditions for processing a 100 μL whole blood sample. The recoveries of the analytes spiked into whole blood at 0.5 μg/mL ranged between 59% and 93%. Although the addition of the graphitized carbon Envi-carb for cleanup decreased the recoveries of zolpidem and its carboxylate-form metabolite M-1, it was very effective in avoiding interferences by cholesterol. The present method can provide a rapid, effective, user-friendly, and relatively hygienic method for the simultaneous extraction of a wide range of drugs and metabolites in whole blood specimens.