Extraction, identification and quantitation of succinylcholine in embalmed tissue

Succinylcholine, a bis-quaternary ammonium compound, was extracted from embalmed tissues as an ion-pair with hexanitrodiphenylamine in methylene chloride. The evaporated ion-pair residue is demethylated with sodium benzenethiolate. The tertiary amine formed is identified and quantitated by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) utilizing a 25 meter glass capillary column coated with SE 52. Identification is accomplished by retention time and mass spectrometry. Quantitation is performed after the addition of deuterated succinylcholine as an internal standard by focusing the mass spectrometer on m/z 58 (for demethylated succinylcholine) and m/z 62 (for the internal standard). The method is applied to the quantitation of succinylcholine from the embalmed kidney, liver, and muscle of rats injected i.m. with 10-200 mg/kg. After six months of storage, the succinylcholine can still be identified and quantitated with highest concentrations found in the muscle injection site. Concentrations as low as 5 ng/g are easily detected.