Determination of Prenatal Substance Exposure Using Meconium and Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

The aim of this study was to develop and to validate a toxicological untargeted screening relying on LC-HRMS in meconium including the detection of the four main classes of drugs of abuse (DoA; amphetamines, cannabinoids, opioids and cocaine). The method was then applied to 29 real samples. Analyses were performed with a liquid chromatography system coupled to a benchtop Orbitrap operating in a data-dependent analysis. The sample amount was 300 mg of meconium extracted twice by solid phase extraction following two distinct procedures. Raw data were processed using the Compound Discoverer 3.2 software (Thermo). The method was evaluated and validated on 15 compounds (6-MAM, morphine, buprenorphine, norbuprenorphine, methadone, EDDP, amphetamine, MDA, MDMA, methamphetamine, cocaine, benzoylecgonine, THC, 11-OH-THC, THC-COOH). Limits of detection were between 0.5 and 5 pg/mg and limits of identification between 5 and 50 pg/mg. Mean matrix effect was between −79 and −19% (n = 6) and mean overall recovery between 18 and 73% (n = 6) at 100 pg/mg. The application allows the detection of 88 substances, including 47 pharmaceuticals and 15 pharmaceutical metabolites, cocaine and its metabolites, THC and its metabolites, and natural (morphine, codeine) and synthetic (methadone, buprenorphine, tramadol, norfentanyl) opioids. This method is now used routinely for toxicological screening in high-risk pregnancies

Epiglottis Cartilage, Costal Cartilage, and Intervertebral Disc Cartilage as Alternative Materials in the Postmortem Diagnosis of Methanol Poisoning

“…Therefore, alternative sampling materials are needed. In forensic toxicology, the list of alternative matrices includes oral fluid [ 2 , 3 ], hair [ 4 , 5 ], sweat [ 6 , 7 ], meconium [ 8 , 9 ], breast milk [ 10 , 11 ], vitreous humor [ 12 , 13 ], bile [ 14 , 15 ], and even insects [ 16 , 17 ]. However, the alternative materials present limitations, such as limited xenobiotic accumulation (according to physical–chemical properties), the eventual need for more sensitive analyses, or the inability to correlate xenobiotic concentrations with effects [ 18 ].…”

The Identification of Drug Abuse

“…In the studies of Hernandez and Coll. [ 7 ] and Albano and Coll. [ 8 ] the issue of prenatal drug exposure is presented.…”

“…[ 8 ] the issue of prenatal drug exposure is presented. In the first study, the authors validate an analytical procedure to determine the main substance of abuse and metabolites in meconium [ 7 ]. Opioid absorption during intrauterine and prenatal life is then reviewed by Albano and Coll., presenting toxicological, clinical, and forensic issues [ 8 ].…”