Quantification of nerve agent biomarkers in human serum and urine

A novel method for rapid and sensitive quantification of the nerve agent metabolites ethyl, isopropyl, isobutyl, cyclohexyl, and pinacolyl methylphosphonic acid has been established by combining salting-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction (SALLE) and online solid phase extraction-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (SPE-LC-MS/MS). The procedure allows confirmation of nerve agent exposure within 30 min from receiving a sample, with very low detection limits for the biomarkers of 0.04-0.12 ng/mL. Sample preparation by SALLE was performed in less than 10 min, with a common procedure for both serum and urine. Analyte recoveries of 70-100% were obtained using tetrahydrofuran as extraction solvent and Na2SO4 to achieve phase separation. After SALLE, selective analyte retention was obtained on a ZrO2 column by Lewis acid-base and hydrophilic interactions with acetonitrile/1% CH3COOH (82/18) as the loading mobile phase. The phosphonic acids were backflush-desorbed onto a polymeric zwitterionic column at pH 9.8 and separated by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography. The method was linear (R(2) ≥ 0.995) from the limits of quantification to 50 ng/mL, and the within- and between-assay repeatability at 20 ng/mL were below 5% and 10% relative standard deviation, respectively.