An overview of the detection of benzodiazepines and their respective metabolites and target analytes in urine by LC-MS/MS is described. This overview shows substantial differences in the approach to detection using this technique including optional use of β-glucuronidase to hydrolyze conjugates present in urine. There are also significant variations in the extraction method employed from the use of direct injection, liquid-liquid extraction to solid-phase extraction options, with little apparent difference in limits of detection. Chromatography was largely based on the use of C18-bonded columns; however both C8- and phenyl-bonded columns were used to affect separation. Modern-day tandem mass spectrometers are capable of exceptional sensitivity enabling detection of sub-nanogram per milliliter amounts in urine, which provide for longer detection times in the urine of suspected drug-facilitated assaults. A method employed in the laboratory of the authors is provided by way of an example for readers wishing to establish a method in their own laboratory.
CITATION STYLE
Drummer, O. H., Di Rago, M., & Gerostamoulos, D. (2019). Analysis of benzodiazepines for drug-facilitated assaults and abuse settings (urine). In Methods in Molecular Biology (Vol. 1872, pp. 23–39). Humana Press Inc. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-8823-5_3
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