Validation of a method for ethanol analysis in biological and non-biological samples and its toxicological application

Abstract

A simple, cost-effective and fast headspace gas chromatography method coupled with flame ionization detection (HS-GC/FID) for determination of ethanol was developed and validated for clinical and forensic toxicology purposes. HS-GC/FID is often used for alcohol determination in different biological and non-biological samples. The calibration dependence of the method was linear in the range from 0.15 to 4.00 g dm-3 (r2=0.999) with adequate accuracy (99–106 %) and precision. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.006 g dm-3. The method was quantitative (LOQ) above 0.020 g dm-3. The new method was successfully used for determination of ethanol in biological samples of intoxicated patients, car accidents participants, participants in criminal acts, and postmortem samples, non-biological samples such as alcoholic beverages, alcohol-based herbal preparations, cosmetic preparations, etc. This method is easy to perform, making it suitable not only for the routine applications in clinical biochemistry and forensic laboratories, but also in different fields of industry (e.g. for pharmaceutical preparations, cosmetics, dietary supplements, etc.). Some of the applications for ethanol determination in different samples related to various clinical-forensic cases are presented.