Analysis of Fentanyl and Designer Fentanyl Derivatives in Urine using SPE and HPLC-MS/MS

The United States has seen an increased usage and abuse of fentanyl and fentanyl analogs over the last decade, increasing the list of derivatives that forensic toxicologists need the ability to identify. Meanwhile, typically employed immunoassays have proven to be inaccurate for the initial detection of these novel, synthetic drugs.

In this application note, a universal extraction approach for both current compounds and emerging analytes is illustrated, involving a three-step solid phase extraction procedure for the identification of fentanyl and its major urinary metabolite norfentanyl along with eleven additional synthetic opioid compounds.