Qualitative and quantitative analyses of methamphetamine in hair following derivatization with trifluoroacetic acid or heptafluorobutyric acid anhydride

Abstract Illicit drug use and its consequence necessitate the development of identification methods for the target drugs in biological materials. Methamphetamine (MA) is a psychotropic substance with short elimination half-life in urine and blood; however, negative consequences of MA use may last for a long time. So, its diagnosis is essential even long after MA exposure. A total of 50 hair specimens were obtained from those with a history of MA abuse from addiction treatment camps. A gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis was developed to identify MA using trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) or heptafluorobutyric acid anhydride (HFBA) as two derivatization agents. It was indicated that these subjects were 80 and 8% negative for MA following derivatization with HFBA and TFA, respectively. The limits of detection and quantitation for derivatization with TFA were 0.2 and 0.6 ng/mg. In conclusion, use of TFA in GC-MS can afford to effectively dissolve MA out of the hair matrix. This dissolving procedure has easy procurement with high applicability and validity.