Quantification of drugs of abuse and some stimulants in hair samples by liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry

A qualitative and quantitative method for the analysis of drugs of abuse (cocaine and benzoylecgonine, opiates) and some stimulants in human hair was developed and validated. Hair samples were incubated with phosphate buffer (pH 5.0), chosen as the extraction medium, extracted with Bond Elut Certify cartridges and analyzed by LC–MS–MS and LC–MS3 as confirmation for positive results. The method proved to be specific, accurate and precise across the calibration range (0.1–30 ng/mg) where good linearity was observed. Total extraction recovery, intra-assay accuracy and precision, limits of detection and limits of quantitation were estimated. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of hair samples collected from drug abusers and it was suitable for routine analytical applications in the Antidoping Laboratory of Public Health Laboratory.