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One-step Metabolomics: Carbohydrates, Organic and Amino Acids Quantified in a Single Procedure
Published on: June 26, 2010
Analysis of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) in urine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
R R McCusker1, H Paget-Wilkes, C W Chronister
1Department of Pathology, Immunology, and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville 32610-0275, USA.
Abstract:
A simple method for the direct analysis of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) from human urine is described. The method uses solid-phase extraction, liquid-liquid extraction, and silyl-derivatization, then gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis using GHB-d6 as the internal standard. The method was linear from 5 to 500 mg/L, and coefficients of variation were less than 10%. Twenty-six urine specimens previously analyzed by an existing method were analyzed and yielded GHB concentrations ranging from 0 to 6100 mg/L; the results correlated between the two methods. Compared with existing methods, the method described here is superior because it is specific to GHB and can discriminate between GHB and gamma-butyrolactone.
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