Determination of the main hydrolysis product of O-ethyl S-2-diisopropylaminoethyl methylphosphonothiolate, ethyl methylphosphonic acid, in human serum

J Chromatogr B Biomed Sci Appl. 1997 Feb 21;689(2):327-33. doi: 10.1016/s0378-4347(96)00356-8.

Abstract

For the unequivocal proof of the use of a nerve agent O-ethyl S-2-diisopropylaminoethyl methylphosphonothiolate (VX), a rapid, accurate and sensitive method which allows us to identify its main hydrolysis product ethyl methylphosphonic acid (EMPA) in human serum was explored by GC-MS. GC-MS analysis was performed after solvent extraction with acetonitrile in acidic conditions from the serum sample, which was previously deproteinized by micro-ultrafiltration, and subsequent tert.-butyldimethylsilyl derivatization with N-methyl-N-(tert.-butyldimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (MTBSTFA) with 1% tert.-butyldimethylsilyl chloride (t-BDMSC). Linear calibration curves were obtained in the concentration range from 50 to 500 ng/ml for EMPA in the full-scan EI mode and from 5 to 50 ng/ml for EMPA in the SIM EI mode. The relative standard deviation obtained at a sample concentration of 50 ng/ml was 8.4% in the full-scan mode and 7.3% in the SIM mode. Upon applying the full-scan EI and CI mode, 40 ng/ml and 80 ng/ml were the detection limits. Using the SIM-EI mode, in which the ion at m/z 153 was chosen, the limit was 3 ng/ml.

MeSH terms

  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / blood*
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / methods*
  • Humans
  • Hydrolysis
  • Indicators and Reagents / chemistry
  • Organophosphorus Compounds / blood*
  • Organosilicon Compounds / chemistry
  • Organothiophosphorus Compounds / blood*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity

Substances

  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors
  • Indicators and Reagents
  • Organophosphorus Compounds
  • Organosilicon Compounds
  • Organothiophosphorus Compounds
  • t-butyldimethylsilyl compounds
  • methylphosphonic acid
  • VX