Qualitative/Quantitative Analysis of Drugs in Whole Blood by DPiMSQT and Nexera™ installed LCMS-9030

Importance of the Topic

Rapid and accurate detection of drugs in biological matrices is critical in forensic toxicology and clinical diagnostics. Integrating high-throughput qualitative screening with precise quantitative analysis can significantly reduce sample preparation time, instrument usage, and overall turnaround while maintaining data reliability.

Objectives and Study Overview

This application note presents a two-step workflow for drug analysis in whole blood: first, a high-speed qualitative screen using the DPiMS QT electrospray probe coupled to an LCMS-9030 quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer; second, a targeted quantitative analysis on the same LCMS-9030 with a Nexera X3 UHPLC. Seven representative drugs were spiked into human whole blood to assess sensitivity, accuracy, and efficiency.

Methodology and Instrumentation

The workflow comprises:

• DPiMS QT qualitative screening: Direct sampling of probe‐adhered blood extracts, electrospray ionization, and TOF-MS analysis (m/z 100–800), with 0.5 min acquisition time.
• Nexera quantitative analysis: Micro Volume QuEChERS extraction, addition of Diazepam-d5 internal standard, UHPLC separation on Shim-pack Velox SP-C18, and ESI-TOF MS detection.

Key instrument parameters included positive ion mode, DL temperature 250–300 °C, interface voltage 3.5 kV, and chromatographic gradient from 5 % to 95 % organic over 7.5 min.

Main Results and Discussion

Qualitative screening achieved detection of all seven drugs in approximately 6 min (5 min prep, 0.5 min analysis). Mass accuracy remained within ±2 ppm in complex blood matrix. Subsequent UHPLC-TOF quantitation displayed linear calibration (1–100 ng/mL, R² > 0.995) and accuracy within 100 ± 15 % for a 50 ng/mL spiked sample.

Benefits and Practical Applications

The combined approach offers:

• Fast turnaround: Qualitative results in under 6 min.
• Flexible workflow: Target list can be expanded post-acquisition without re-preparing samples.
• Resource savings: Reduced sample volume and consumable use.

This strategy is suitable for high-throughput forensic screening, clinical toxicology, and emergency drug surveillance.

Future Trends and Opportunities

Emerging directions include integration with automated sampling robotics, expansion of target libraries for novel psychoactive substances, and coupling to ion mobility for enhanced selectivity. Miniaturized or ambient ionization probes promise further reductions in sample handling time.

Conclusion

A two-tiered workflow using DPiMS QT and Nexera-LCMS offers fast qualitative screening and reliable quantitation of drugs in whole blood. The method combines speed, accuracy, and flexibility, meeting the demands of modern forensic and clinical laboratories.

Reference

E. Imoto, T. Murata. Qualitative/Quantitative Analysis of Drugs in Whole Blood by DPiMS QT and Nexera™ installed LCMS-9030. Shimadzu Application News, First Edition: Sep. 2021.