Determination of LSD in urine by capillary column gas chromatography and electron impact mass spectrometry

A procedure for the determination of LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) in urine at concentrations as low as 0.5 ng/ml is presented. After addition of deuterium-labeled LSD as the internal standard, a rapid n-butyl chloride extraction of LSD from urine at pH 8 is followed by formation of the trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivative by treatment with N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide. The TMS derivative of LSD is identified and quantified by selected ion monitoring with a fused-silica capillary column and electron impact ionization. The procedure was used to monitor LSD concentrations in urine for eight hours following oral administration of 70.5 micrograms of LSD to two human volunteers. Concentrations of LSD determined by the assay are compared with concentrations determined by two other methods of analysis, a radioimmunoassay and a high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assay. Data concerning the stability of LSD in urine are also presented.