Determination of phenolalkylamines, narcotic analgesics, and beta-blockers by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

An analytical procedure for determination of phenolalkylamines, narcotic analgesics, and beta-blockers in urine by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) is described. The detection of phenolalkylamines, narcotic analgesics, and beta-blockers is based on acid hydrolysis, liquid-liquid extraction, and selective derivatization. For screening of phenolalkylamines the m/e 179 and 267 ions were monitored by GC/MS. With narcotic analgesics, the extracted ion corresponded to the molecular ion (M+) of the drug and two additional characteristic ions. Beta-blockers were analyzed as the selectively derivatized forms of the parent molecule and its metabolites by GC/MS with selected ion monitoring. The ions monitored for screening of beta-blockers containing an isopropylamine group were m/e 284 and 129 ions. The ion at m/e 86 was monitored to characterize the tert-butylamine group of beta-blockers.