[Rapid determination of propofol in biological specimens and hair by HS-GC/MS]

This paper proposes an original method for the determination of propofol in biological specimens. For example, hair specimens are cut into small pieces and incubated overnight in Soerensen buffer at 40 degrees C. After headspace preparation of the biological specimens spiked with tetrahydrofurane (internal standard), the analytes are transferred to the gas chromatograph and separated on a HP Wax capillary column. Detection is achieved in SIM mode (propofol: m/z 117, 163 and 178) on a mass spectrometer operating in electronic impact mode. The developed procedure is easy (full-automated), rapid (no extraction- or derivatization-step), sensible and accurate. After validation of the analytical method (linearity, extraction recovery, repeatability, limit of detection), this new procedure was applied to forensic cases.