Adsorption and stability of suxamethonium and its major hydrolysis product succinylmonocholine using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Abstract

For the purpose of reliable identification of suxamethonium (SUX) use, the stability and adsorption of SUX and its specific hydrolysis product succinylmonocholine (SMC) were investigated under various storage conditions using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-ESI MS). Significant and slight adsorption to glassware was observed for SUX and SMC, respectively, whereas there was no significant adsorption to plasticware by either SUX or SMC. The silanization methods for glassware have also been found to affect the adsorption of SUX to glassware. Additionally, alkaline conditions led to significant loss of both SUX and SMC due to their hydrolysis, but SMC showed greater stability than SUX under the present storage conditions, suggesting that SMC is a superior marker for SUX use when stored in alkaline conditions. On the other hand, there was no significant loss of SUX and SMC under acidic conditions even in human urine at room temperature or higher (20-38°C), or in distilled water.