Derivatization with acetic anhydride: applications to the analysis of biogenic amines and psychiatric drugs by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry

A validated UPLC-MS/MS method for the determination of aliphatic and aromatic isocyanate exposure in human urine

4,4'-Methylenediphenyldiisocyanate (MDI), toluenediisocyanate (2,4-TDI and 2,6-TDI), and 1,6'-hexamethylenediisocyanate (HDI) are all commonly used in the production of polyurethane-containing materials in different application areas. Workers exposed occupationally to these compounds may develop sensitization with the potential to lead to asthma. Isocyanates are metabolized in vivo by conjugation to macromolecules and/or by acetylation prior to being eliminated in urine. The hydrolysis of urine samples releases free amine compounds from these metabolites as biomarkers of exposure, specific to each parent isocyanate: 4,4'-methylenedianiline (MDA), toluenediamine (2,4-TDA and 2,6-TDA), and hexamethylenediamine (HDA). To address the need for a validated method that could be used for the simultaneous determination of biomarkers of aliphatic and aromatic isocyanates to monitor occupational exposure based on recommended thresholds, we have developed an UPLC-MS/MS method for the quantitation of MDA, TDA isomers, and HDA following acid hydrolysis, solid-phase extraction, and derivatization of urine samples. Free amine compounds were derivatized with acetic anhydride to augment chromatographic retention and signal intensity. The method was developed considering the biological guidance value (BGV) of MDA at 10 μg L^-1, and biological exposure indices (BEI) of TDA isomers and HDA at 5 μg g^-1 and 15 μg g^-1 creatinine, respectively. Limits of detection allowed monitoring down to 6% of BGV/BEI, with precision within 8%. The accuracy and reliability of the method were assessed using inter-laboratory reference samples and deemed acceptable based on three rounds of measurements. This novel method has therefore been proven as useful for occupational safety and health assessments. Graphical Abstract.

Growth of Pseudomonas putida F1 on styrene requires increased catechol-2,3-dioxygenase activity, not a new hydrolase

Pseudomonas putida F1 cannot grow on styrene despite being able to degrade it through the toluene degradation (tod) pathway. Previous work had suggested that this was because TodF, the meta-fission product (MFP) hydrolase, was unable to metabolize the styrene MFP 2-hydroxy-6-vinylhexa-2,4-dienoate. Here we demonstrate via kinetic and growth analyses that the substrate specificity of TodF is not the limiting factor preventing F1 from growing on styrene. Rather, we found that the metabolite 3-vinylcatechol accumulated during styrene metabolism and that micromolar concentrations of this intermediate inactivated TodE, the catechol-2,3-dioxygenase (C23O) responsible for its cleavage. Analysis of cells growing on styrene suggested that inactivation of TodE and the subsequent accumulation of 3-vinylcatechol resulted in toxicity and cell death. We found that simply overexpressing TodE on a plasmid (pTodE) was all that was necessary to allow F1 to grow on styrene. Similar results were also obtained by expressing a related C23O, DmpB from Pseudomonas sp. CF600, in tandem with its plant-like ferredoxin, DmpQ (pDmpQB). Further analysis revealed that the ability of F1 (pDmpQB) and F1 (pTodE) to grow on styrene correlated with increased C23O activity as well as resistance of the enzyme to 3-vinylcatechol-mediated inactivation. Although TodE inactivation by 3-halocatechols has been studied before, to our knowledge, this is the first published report demonstrating inactivation by a 3-vinylcatechol. Given the ubiquity of catechol intermediates in aromatic hydrocarbon metabolism, our results further demonstrate the importance of C23O inactivation as a determinant of growth substrate specificity.

Degradation of chloroacetanilide herbicides by anodic fenton treatment

Anodic Fenton treatment (AFT) is an electrochemical treatment employing the Fenton reaction for the generation of hydroxyl radicals, strong oxidants that can degrade organic compounds via hydrogen abstraction. AFT has potential use for the remediation of aqueous pesticide waste. The degradation rates of chloroacetanilides by AFT were investigated in this work, which demonstrates that AFT can be used to rapidly and completely remove chloroacetanilide herbicides from aqueous solutions. Acetochlor, alachlor, butachlor, metolachlor, and propachlor were treated by AFT, and parent compound concentrations were analyzed over the course of the treatment time. Degradation curves were plotted and fitted by the AFT kinetic model for each herbicide, and AFT model kinetic parameters were used to calculate degradation rate constants. The reactivity order of these five active ingredients toward hydroxyl radical was acetochlor approximately metolachlor > butachlor approximately alachlor > propachlor. Treatment of the chloroacetanilides by AFT removed the parent compounds but did not completely mineralize them. However, AFT did result in an increase in the biodegradability of chloroacetanilide aqueous solutions, as evidenced by an increase in the 5-day biochemical oxygen demand to chemical oxygen demand ratio (BOD5/COD) to >0.3, indicating completely biodegradable solutions. Several degradation products were formed and subsequently degraded, although not always completely. Some of these were identified by mass spectral analyses. Among the products, isomers of phenolic and carbonyl derivatives of parent compounds were common to each of the herbicides analyzed. More extensively oxidized products were not detected. Degradation pathways are proposed for each of the parent compounds and identified products.

Phenylacetylene reversibly inhibits the phenol hydroxylase of Pseudomonas sp. CF600 at high concentrations but is oxidized at lower concentrations

Alkynes are mechanism-based inhibitors of several bacterial monooxygenases, including the soluble methane monooxygenase (sMMO) of Methylococcus capsulatus and the toluene o-monooxygenase (TOM) of Burkholderia cepacia G4. In this paper, we investigated the inhibition of the phenol hydroxylase of Pseudomonas sp. CF600 by the alkyne phenylacetylene. Growth of CF600 on phenol and phenol hydroxylase activity were inhibited by phenylacetylene concentrations greater than 1.0 mM. Unlike other alkynes, which irreversibly inhibit a number of monooxygenases, inhibition of phenol hydroxylase by phenylacetylene was reversible, as demonstrated by the ability of washed cells to regain phenol hydroxylase activity. Additionally, phenylacetylene was metabolized by phenol-grown cells, yielding a yellow meta-ring fission product which absorbed light maximally at 412 nm. Phenol-grown CF600 transformed phenylacetylene to hydroxyphenylacetylene and 2-hydroxy-6-oxo-octa-2,4-dien-7-ynoic acid as detected by gas chromatography--mass spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), respectively, while neither a derivative of CF600 with a non-functional phenol hydroxylase nor wild-type CF600 grown on acetate transformed phenylacetylene. These results demonstrate that the phenol hydroxylase of CF600 has broader substrate specificity than previously reported. They also suggest that phenylacetylene acts as a competitive inhibitor rather than as a mechanism-based inhibitor of this phenol hydroxylase.

Nonaqueous capillary electrophoretic separation and thermo-optical absorbance detection of five tricyclic antidepressants and metabolism of amitriptyline by Cunninghamella elegans

We developed a technique based on nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis and laser-based thermo-optical absorbance detection to assay five antidepressants with similar structures and mass-to-charge ratios. A mixture of methanol and acetonitrile with ammonium acetate was essential to achieve baseline resolution of these compounds. We investigated the effects of ammonium acetate concentration, temperature, applied voltage, and capillary length on separation efficiency. The nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis and laser-based thermo-optical absorbance detection technique was used to study the metabolism of amitriptyline by Cunninghamella elegans. Sample preparation procedures were simplified for fast screening of the parent drug and its metabolites. Reproducible electropherograms were obtained from replicate cultures of C. elegans growing in the presence of amitriptyline.

Derivatization procedures for gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric determination of xenobiotics in biological samples, with special attention to drugs of abuse and doping agents

The development of low cost MS detectors in recent years has promoted an important increase in the applicability of GC-MS system to analyze for the presence of foreign substances in the human body. Drugs and toxic agents are in vivo metabolized in such a way that more polar compounds are usually formed. Derivatization of these metabolites is often an unavoidable requirement for gas chromatographic analysis. Application of derivatization methods in recent years has been relevant, especially for silylation, acylation, alkylation and the formation of cyclic or diastereomeric derivatives. Given the relevance of drug of abuse testing in modern toxicology, main derivatization procedures for opiates, cocaine, cannabis, amphetamines, benzodiazepines and LSD have been reviewed. Papers describing the analyses of drugs of abuse in matrixes other than blood, such as hair or sweat, have received special attention. Advances in derivatization for sports drug testing have been particularly relevant for anabolic steroids, diuretics and corticosteroids. Among the several methodologies applied, the formation of trimethylsilyl, perfluoroacyl or methylated derivatives have proved to be both versatile and extensively used. Further advances in derivatization for GC-MS applications in clinical and forensic toxicology will depend on the one hand on the degree of further use of GC-MS for routine applications and, on the other hand, on the alternative progress made for developments in LC-MS or CE-MS. Last but not least, the appearance of comprehensive libraries in which reference spectra for different derivatives of many drugs and their metabolites are collected will have an important impact on the expansion of derivatization in GC-MS for toxicological applications.

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) in toxicological analysis. Studies on the detection of clobenzorex and its metabolites within a systematic toxicological analysis procedure by GC-MS and by immunoassay and studies on the detection of alpha- and beta-amanitin in urine by atmospheric pressure ionization electrospray LC-MS

GC-MS is the method of choice for toxicological analysis of toxicants volatile in GC while non-volatile and/or thermally labile toxicants need LC-MS for their determination. Studies are presented on the toxicological detection of the amphetamine-like anorectic clobenzorex in urine by GC-MS after acid hydrolysis, extraction and acetylation and by fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA, TDx (meth)amphetamine II). After ingestion of 60 mg of clobenzorex, the parent compound and/or its metabolites could be detected by GC-MS for up to 84 h or by FPIA for up to 60 h. Since clobenzorex shows no cross-reactivity with the used immunoassay, the N-dealkylated metabolite amphetamine is responsible for the positive TDx results. The intake of clobenzorex instead of amphetamine can be differentiated by GC-MS detection of hydroxyclobenzorex which is detectable for at least as long as amphetamine. In addition, the described GC-MS procedure allows the simultaneous detection of most of the toxicologically relevant drugs. Furthermore, studies are described on the atmospheric pressure ionization electrospray LC-MS detection of alpha- and beta-amanitin, toxic peptides of amanita mushrooms, in urine after solid-phase extraction on RP-18 columns. Using the single ion monitoring mode with the ions m/z 919 and 920 the amanitins could be detected down to 10 ng/ml of urine which allows us to diagnose intoxications with amanita mushrooms.

Toxicological detection of the designer drug 3,4-methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDE, "Eve") and its metabolites in urine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and fluorescence polarization immunoassay

Studies are presented on the toxicological detection of the designer drug methylenedioxyethylamphetamine [MDE, rac-N-ethyl-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-propane-2-amine] in urine after a single oral dose of 140 mg of MDE by GC-MS and fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA). After acid hydrolysis, extraction and acetylation MDE and its metabolites could be detected by mass chromatography with the selected ions m/z 72, 86, 114, 150, 162 and 164, followed by identification of the peaks underlying full mass spectra by computer library search. The following metabolites could be detected: unchanged MDE and 3,4-dihydroxyethylamphetamine (DHE) for 33-62 h, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) for 32-36 h and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyethylamphetamine (HME) for 7-8 days. 3,4-Dihydroxyamphetamine (DHA), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyamphetamine (HMA), piperonyl acetone, 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl acetone and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl acetone could only be detected in trace amounts within the first few hours. The Abbott TD x FPIA assay amphetamine/metamphetamine II gave positive results in urine for 33-62 h. Therefore, positive immunoassay results could be confirmed by the GC-MS procedure which also allowed the differentiation of MDE and its homologues 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and MDA as well as other amphetamine derivatives interfering with the TD x assay. Furthermore, this GC-MS procedure allowed the simultaneous detection of most of the toxicologically relevant drugs.

Simultaneous quantification of fluoxetine, norfluoxetine, and desipramine using gas chromatography with nitrogen-phosphorus detection

The combination of fluoxetine (FLU) and desipramine (DMI) has been reported to be useful for the treatment of depression, and these drugs are also known to undergo a metabolic drug-drug interaction because of their effects on cytochrome P-450 2D6. A procedure that separates these two drugs and norfluoxetine (NFLU), the N-demethylated metabolite of FLU, and that allows simultaneous quantification of their levels would be of value and has been developed in our laboratories. The procedure involves an initial extraction into ethyl acetate after basification of the homogenate. The organic phase is retained and taken to dryness; the residue is reconstituted in water and acetylated with acetic anhydride under slightly basic conditions. Ethyl acetate is then used to extract the acetylated compounds from the aqueous medium. The organic layer is taken to dryness and the residue reconstituted in toluene. An aliquot of the solution in toluene is injected directly into a gas chromatograph equipped with a nitrogen-phosphorus detector, a fused silica capillary column, and an integrator/printer. Maprotiline is added to the initial homogenate and carried through the procedure as the internal standard. The assay is rapid and sensitive and has been applied successfully to liver and brain tissue taken from rats treated with FLU, DMI, or the combination.