Ethanol in biological fluids: headspace GC measurement

Area of Science:

• Clinical Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biomedical Science

Background:

• No standardized method exists for simultaneous ethanol determination across all biological fluids.
• Existing methods may not be suitable for routine diagnostics or monitoring.
• Accurate ethanol measurement is crucial in various biomedical fields.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate headspace gas chromatography (GC) with a capillary column for ethanol determination in biological fluids.
• To establish a standardized and reliable method for routine ethanol analysis.
• To assess the suitability of headspace GC for blood, serum, plasma, urine, and saliva.

Main Methods:

• Utilized headspace gas chromatography (GC) with a capillary column.
• Tested on various biological fluids including blood, serum, plasma, urine, and saliva.
• Validated linearity, sensitivity, reproducibility, and recovery rates.

Main Results:

• Achieved coefficients of variation from 0.8% to 2.9% for reproducibility.
• Reported average recoveries of 99% across tested biological fluids.
• Demonstrated linearity from 0.01-20 g/L with a sensitivity of 0.01 g/L.

Conclusions:

• Headspace GC is a highly reliable, simple, and sensitive method for ethanol determination.
• The method requires a small sample volume (0.1 mL) and no internal standard or complex manipulation.
• This technique is suitable for routine application in biomedical fields beyond confirmatory analysis.