Affiliations: Department of Applied Science, London South Bank
University, UK
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Dr. M. Grootveld, Department of
Applied Science, London South Bank University, 103 Borough Road, London SE1
0AA, UK. Tel.: +44 20 7815 7922; Fax: +44 20 7815 7999; E-mail:
grootvm@lsbu.ac.uk
Abstract: High resolution ^{1}H NMR spectroscopy has been
employed to investigate the detection and quantification of the illicit
'date-rape' drug gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) in both human saliva and a
commonly-consumed low-alcohol beer product. Data acquired revealed that this
multicomponent analytical technique provided unequivocal evidence for the
detection of this agent by this technique in both of these matrices, i.e., all
three of its resonances [those ascribable to the
α-CH_{2} (t, δ=2.25 ppm),
β-CH_{2} (tt, δ=1.81 ppm) and
γ-CH_{2} (t, δ=3.61 ppm) group protons] were
present in spectra acquired on human saliva, and two of these (the α- and
β-CH_{2} group signals) in the beverage product
examined, the latter observation attributable to overlap of the
γ-CH_{2} ^{1}H resonance with those
of carbohydrates. Since good linear calibration relationships between the
intensities of each of the NMR-visible signals and added GHB concentration (the
former normalised to that of an external 3-trimethylsilyl
[2,2,3,3-^{2}H_{4}]- propionate standard
present in a coaxial NMR tube insert) were observed, this illicit drug is also
readily quantifiable in such multicomponent samples. Our data demonstrate the
advantages offered by this technique when applied to the analysis of illicit
drugs in multicomponent sample matrices such as human biofluids and beverage
products.
Journal: BioFactors, vol. 27, no. 1-4, pp. 121-136, 2006
