Dried Urine Microsampling Coupled to Liquid Chromatography—Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) for the Analysis of Unconjugated Anabolic Androgenic Steroids
Michele Protti,
Camilla Marasca,
Marco Cirrincione,
Angelo E. Sberna,
Roberto Mandrioli,
Laura Mercolini
Affiliations
Michele Protti
Research Group of Pharmaco-Toxicological Analysis (PTA Lab), Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
Camilla Marasca
Research Group of Pharmaco-Toxicological Analysis (PTA Lab), Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
Marco Cirrincione
Research Group of Pharmaco-Toxicological Analysis (PTA Lab), Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
Angelo E. Sberna
Sport Medicine, Enna Local Health Unit, 94100 Enna, Italy
Roberto Mandrioli
Department for Life Quality Studies, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, 47921 Rimini, Italy
Laura Mercolini
Research Group of Pharmaco-Toxicological Analysis (PTA Lab), Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
Testing and monitoring anabolic androgenic steroids in biological fluids is a key activity in anti-doping practices. In this study, a novel approach is proposed, based on dried urine microsampling through two different workflows: dried urine spots (DUS) and volumetric absorptive microsampling (VAMS). Both techniques can overcome some common drawbacks of urine sampling, such as analyte instability and storage and transportation problems. Using an original, validated liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method, exogenous and endogenous unconjugated steroids were analysed. Despite the limitations of microsampling volume, good sensitivity was obtained (limit of quantitation ≤1.5 ng/mL for all analytes), with satisfactory precision (relative standard deviation 70.3%). Both microsampling platforms provide reliable results, in good agreement with those obtained from urine.
