Quantification of paraquat in postmortem samples by gas chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry and review of the literature

• Type: Another Publication in an International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2012

Authors

Pedro Nuno Moreira (Author) Other; de Pinho, PG (Author) FFUP; Maria Teresa Baltazar (Author) Other; Maria Lourdes Bastos (Author) FFUP; Felix Carvalho (Author) FFUP; Ricardo Jorge Dinis Oliveira (Author) FMUP

Journal

Title: Biomedical Chromatography

Vol. 26

Pages: 338-349

ISSN: 0269-3879

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 33 Citations

Scopus - 32 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Natural sciences > Chemical sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-002-CVS

DOI: 10.1002/bmc.1663

Abstract (EN): Paraquat (PQ) is an herbicide implicated in numerous fatalities, mainly caused by voluntary ingestion. Several methods have been used to quantify PQ in plasma and urine samples of intoxicated humans as a predictor of clinical outcome. There is no validated method for the analysis of PQ in postmortem samples. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop an analytical method, using gas chromatographyion trap mass spectrometry (GC-IT/MS) after solid-phase extraction, to quantify PQ in postmortem samples, namely in whole blood, urine, liver, lung and kidney, to cover the routes of distribution, accumulation and elimination of PQ. The method proved to be selective as there were no interferences of endogenous compounds with the same retention time as PQ and ethyl paraquat (internal standard). The regression analysis for PQ was linear in the range 010 mu g/mL. The detection limits ranged from 0.0076 mu g/mL for urine to 0.047 mu g/mL for whole blood, and the recoveries were suitable for forensic analysis. The proposed GC-IT/MS method provided an accurate and simple assay with adequate precision and recovery for the quantification of PQ in postmortem samples. The proof of applicability was performed in two fatal PQ intoxications. A review of the analytical methods for the determination of quaternary ammonium herbicides is also provided for a better understanding of the presently available techniques. Copyright (C) 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 12