earticle

영어

Propofol is widely used for anesthesia and sedation due to its rapid onset and short half-life but has potential for abuse, leading to its regulation as a controlled substance in South Korea since 2011. Effective monitoring methods for propofol in urine are crucial due to its quick metabolism and excretion. This study presents an improved GC/MS method for detecting propofol by adjusting urine pH to acidic conditions, reducing nicotine interference. The method achieves reliable detection without derivatization or hydrolysis, with an LOD of 0.01 μg/mL and LOQ of 0.05 μg/mL. Testing on 10 urine samples showed no matrix interference, excellent linearity (correlation coefficient > 0.999), and satisfactory recovery rates (mean 107%). Precision and accuracy met validation criteria with within-run and between-run values within 15% and ±15%, respectively. Dilution tests confirmed minimal impact, maintaining 97－115% recovery. The effectiveness of excluding nicotine interference by adjusting pH was verified. Nicotine's interference was tested with QC samples at different pH levels, showing minimal interference at pH 4 compared to pH 9.5 (p<0.05). Acidic conditions improved propofol extraction and detection of hydroxylated metabolites. The study included 15 subjects (9 female, 6 male, aged 27－44), with an average propofol concentration in urine of 29.7 μg/mL (range 9.1－86.0). This approach is valuable for clinical and forensic toxicology applications, enhancing early detection of abuse and informing public health strategies.