@article{ref1,
title="Automated enzymatic hydrolysis of urine samples for improved systematic toxicological analysis of drug-facilitated sexual assault cases",
journal="Drug testing and analysis",
year="2024",
author="Skov, Kathrine and Johansen, Sys Stybe and Linnet, Kristian and Nielsen, Marie Katrine Klose",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="Drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) is characterized by victim incapacitation due to intoxicating substances. Detection of single drug exposure from DFSA requires a systematic toxicological analysis strategy including sensitive methods covering a broad spectrum of substances. The aim of this study was to develop and validate an UHPLC-MS/MS screening method for analysis of samples from DFSA cases and incorporate an automated enzymatic pre-treatment of urine samples into a robotic sample preparation for an efficient laboratory workflow. The screening method included 144 drugs of abuse, pharmaceuticals, and metabolites relevant to DFSA. The use of a recombinant enzyme showed an efficient glucuronide hydrolysis with an average parent drug recovery of 97%. Investigation of matrix effect showed no pronounced ion enhancement or suppression for most analytes (96%), and extraction recovery was above 80% for 97% of analytes. Process efficiency ranged from 50% to 138% for most analytes. The LODs ranged from 0.0001 mg/L to 2 mg/L depending on analyte, and most analytes met the SOFT recommended minimum performance limits. The validated method was applied to authentic suspected DFSA cases (n = 38). <br><br>RESULTS showed that drugs of abuse, benzodiazepines, and antidepressants were most commonly found in suspected DFSA cases. Incorporation of an automated enzymatic hydrolysis step during sample preparation enables a fast and simple workflow for simultaneous analysis of blood and urine samples for an improved systematic toxicological analysis strategy for DFSA cases.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1942-7603",
doi="10.1002/dta.3640",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/dta.3640"
}