Quantitative determination of tulobuterol and its metabolites in human urine by mass fragmentography.

A method is described for the simple and simultaneous determination of tulobuterol and its metabolites in human urine by gas chromatography--mass spectrometry. Quantification was achieved by single-ion monitoring at m/e 86 derived from trimethylsilyl-tulobuterol and its metabolites using a column packed with a mixed phase, 2% OV-1--2% QF-1 (1 : 1, w/w). The detection limits were estimated to be 2 ng/ml in urine for tulobuterol and 5 ng/ml for metabolites, respectively.