Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences, Vol 27 No 3 (2023): 573 - 585

 

PLACKETT-BURMAN DESIGN OPTIMIZED DISPERSIVE LIQUID-LIQUID MICROEXTRACTION COUPLED WITH GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY-MASS SPECTROMETRY FOR DETERMINATION OF METHAMPHETAMINE FROM LABORATORY COAT MATERIALS

 

(Pengekstrakan Mikro Cecair-Cecair Serakan Gandingan Kromatografi

Gas-Spektrometri Jisim yang Dioptimumkan Secara Rekaan Plackett-Burman

untuk Penentuan Metamfetamin Daripada Bahan Kot Makmal)

 

Su Chien Quah1, Way Koon Teoh1, Vanitha Kunalan2, Noor Zuhartini Md Muslim1, Warakorn Limbut3,4,5,

Chong Hooi Yew6, Kah Haw Chang1, Ahmad Fahmi Lim Abdullah1*

 

1Forensic Science Programme, School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia

2Narcotics Division, Forensic Science Analysis Centre, Department of Chemistry, Jalan Sultan, 46661 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

3Division of Health and Applied Sciences, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90112, Thailand

4 Center of Excellence for Trace Analysis and Biosensors (TAB-CoE), Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90112, Thailand

5 Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90112, Thailand

6Elmu Higher Education Sdn Bhd, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author: fahmilim@usm.my

 

 

Received: 5 February 2023; Accepted: 18 April 2023; Published:  23 June 2023

 

 

Abstract

Accumulated drug residues on contaminated clothing put the wearer at adverse health risk. Therefore, monitoring on laboratory coat contamination shall be in place to safeguard the analysts who have routine exposure in forensic laboratory environment. Using methamphetamine as surrogate drug, this study was aimed to detect the presence of methamphetamine from laboratory coat materials through a response surface methodology optimized dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) in couple with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In this study, a Plackett-Burman design was used to optimize the DLLME conditions, including the volumes of extraction and dispersive solvents, the duration of vortex agitation, as well as the speed and time of centrifugation. Residues collected upon DLLME procedure was priorly derivatized with trifluoroacetic acid anhydride followed by GC-MS analysis. Seven types of fabric materials which were contaminated with methamphetamine were extracted and compared. From this study, a volume of 685 µL dichloromethane as extraction solvent, 1000 µL 2-propanol as dispersive solvent, vortex agitation for 90 seconds, and centrifugation at 500 rpm for 5 minutes were determined as the optimum conditions for DLLME. Trace methamphetamine residues were successfully extracted and detected from the different types of laboratory coat materials with recovery percentage of at least 45%. The method could be proposed to laboratories for their evaluation on possible contamination to establish baseline for necessary in-house monitoring and decontamination procedures.

 

Keywords: Illicit drugs, methamphetamine, dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction, Plackett-Burman design, contaminated laboratory coat

 

Abstrak

Sisa-sisa dadah yang terkumpul pada pakaian tercemar membawa risiko mudarat kepada pemakai. Justeru, pemantauan pencemaran kot makmal harus diberi perhatian untuk melindungi penganalisis yang mempunyai pendedahan rutin dalam persekitaran makmal forensik. Dengan menggunakan metamfetamin sebagai dadah surogat, kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengesan kehadiran metamfetamin daripada bahan kot makmal melalui pengekstrakan mikro cecair-cecair serakan (DLLME) yang digandingkan dengan kromatografi gas-spektrometri jisim (GC-MS) yang telah dioptimumkan dengan kaedah gerak balas permukaan merangkumi isipadu pelarut pengekstrakan dan pelarut serakan, tempoh pengadukan pusaran, serta kelajuan dan masa pengemparan. Sisa-sisa yang dikumpulkan setelah prosedur DLLME telah diterbitkan terlebih dahulu dengan asid trifluoroasetik anhidrida diikuti dengan analisis GC-MS. Tujuh jenis bahan fabrik yang telah dicemari dengan metamfetamin telah diekstrak dan dibandingkan. Daripada kajian ini, 685 µL dikloromethana sebagai pelarut pengekstrakan, 1000 µL 2-propanol sebagai pelarut serakan, pergerakan vorteks selama 90 saat, serta pengemparan pada 500 rpm selama 5 minit telah ditentukan sebagai keadaan optimum bagi DLLME. Sisa-sisa surih metamfetamin telah berjaya diekstrak dan dikesan daripada jenis bahan kot makmal yang berbeza dengan peratusan pemulihan semula sekurang-kurangnya 45%. Kaedah tersebut boleh dicadangkan kepada makmal-makmal untuk penilaian mereka terhadap pencemaran yang berkemungkinan untuk menetapkan garis dasar untuk pemantauan dalaman dan prosedur penyahcemaran yang diperlukan.

 

Kata kunci: Dadah haram, metamfetamin, pengekstrakan mikro cecair-cecair serakan, rekaan Plackett-Burman, kot makmal tercemar

 

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