Abstract
A sensitive method for the determination of methamphetamine(MA) and amphetamine(AM) in hair was developed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry using stable isotope-labeled internal standards, amphetamine-d$_{5}$ and methamphetamine-d$_{5}$. Hair sample was washed with MeOH, incubated with MeOH(I% HCI) overnight at $37^{\circ}C$ while stirring and extracted using solid phase extraction column on a vacuum manifold. The extract obtained was pentafluoropropionated, and applied to GC/MS. The calibration curves of MA and AM were linear from 2.5 to 250 ng (r>0.99 for both). The limit of detection was 0.1 ng/mg in hair and cut-off level was set at 0.25 ng/mg for both. Hair samples of 27 MA abusers showed positive results in the range 0.7 to 106.8 ng/mg. AM, its metabolite, was detected in 20 out of 27 samples. The ratio of MA versus AM was 4.6~38.3 in specimens. Hair analysis for methamphetamine by GC/MS is an effective method for identifying long-term drug abusers.
