Rapid and sensitive headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method for the analysis of ethanol in the whole blood.

Background: For the forensic aim, a sensitive and specific method using headspace gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) has been developed for the quantitative determination of ethanol in blood using n-propanol as internal standard. GC was performed in isothermal mode with a GC run-time of 5.0 min.

Methods: The quantification was performed using selected ions monitoring mode adopting a quantitative ion and qualifier ion for ethanol and the internal standard.

Results: The method was linear (r(2) = 0.999, in the concentration range of 39.5-1,262.9 μg/ml), specific, sensitive (limit of quantification and limit of detection of 39.5 and 0.4 μg/ml, respectively), and robust. A slightly modified method was also developed for the quantification of 50 commonly abused drunken in blood. The method used an isothermal GC program with a run-time of 5.0 min. The quantification was performed using selected ions monitoring mode and integrating the area under the peak using n-propanol as an internal standard. The method was linear 40-1,263 μg/ml and sensitive.

Conclusions: The method was proved superior in speed and selectivity to previously reported methods and was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study of ethanol.