Quantitation of Metabolites of the Nerve Agents Sarin, Soman, Cyclohexylsarin, VX, and Russian VX in Human Urine Using Isotope-Dilution Gas Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

Organophosphorus nerve agents are among the most toxic organic compounds known and continue to be a threat for both military and terrorist use. We have developed an isotope-dilution gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric (GC-MS-MS) method for quantitating the urinary metabolites of the organophosphorus nerve agents sarin (GB), soman (GD), VX, Russian VX (RVX), and cyclohexylsarin (GF). Urine samples were acidified, extracted into ether-acetonitrile, derivatized by methylation with diazomethane, and analyzed by GC-MS-MS. The limits of detection were less than 1 micro g/L for all analytes.