The determination of the triazolobenzodiazepine triazolam in post mortem samples

A post mortem case involving the triazolobenzodiazepine triazolam is reported. Levels of 38 ng/g in the liver and 6.7 ng/mL in the blood were determined by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using an eluent of 0.06% acetic acid:acetonitrile (61:39) and ultraviolet detection at 221 nm. The presence of triazolam in the post mortem samples was verified by its oxidation to a benzophenone with potassium dichromate, followed by the analysis of the oxidized extract by HPLC using a silica column and an eluent of dichloromethane:methanol (97.5:2.5) at 250 nm.