Methenamine as an induced artifact during extraction of formaldehyde-preserved tissue

The effect of different basic drug assay procedures on the formation of artifactual methenamine from formaldehyde preserved and nonpreserved tissue was studied. Trichloroacetic acid was compared with ammonium sulfate as a protein precipitant and sodium hydroxide was compared with ammonium hydroxide as a pH modifier. The assay of nonpreserved tissue failed to result in the detection of methenamine. However, when preserved tissue was assayed by procedures which utilized ammonium compounds, large quantities of methenamine were detected using TLC and GC/MS. Trace quantities of methenamine were detected in extracts of preserved autolyzed tissue which was assayed using nonammonium compounds.