Rapid screening of methamphetamines in human serum by headspace solid-phase microextraction using a dodecylsulfate-doped polypyrrole film coupled to ion mobility spectrometry

A simple, rapid and highly sensitive method for simultaneous analysis of methamphetamine (MA) and 3,4-methylenedioxy methamphetamine (MDMA) in human serum was developed using the solid-phase microextraction (SPME) combined with ion mobility spectrometry (IMS). A dodecylsulfate-doped polypyrrole (PPy-DS) was applied as a new fiber for SPME. Electrochemically polymerized PPy is formed on the surface of a platinum wire and will contain charge-compensating anion (dodecylsulfate) incorporated during synthesis using cyclic voltammetry (CV) technique. The extraction properties of the fiber to MA and MDMA were examined, using a headspace-SPME (HS-SPME) device and thermal desorption in injection port of IMS. The results show that PPy-DS as a SPME fiber coating is suitable for the successful extraction of these compounds. This method is suitable for the identification and determination of MAs, is not time-consuming, requires small quantities of sample and does not require any derivatization. Parameters like pH, extraction time, ionic strength, and temperature of the sample were studied and optimized to obtain the best extraction results. The HS-SPME–IMS method provided good repeatability (RSDs < 7.8 %) for spiked serum samples. The calibration graphs were linear in the range of 20–4000 ng ml−1 (R2 > 0.99) and detection limits for MDMA and MA were 5 and 8 ng ml−1, respectively. HS-SPME–IMS of non-spiked serum sample provided a spectrum without any peak from the matrix, supporting an effective sample clean-up. Finally, the proposed method was applied for analysis one of the ecstasy tablet.