A fast and validated high throughput bar adsorptive microextraction (HT-BAµE) method for the determination of ketamine and norketamine in urine samples

We developed, optimized and validated a fast analytical cycle using high throughput bar adsorptive microextraction and microliquid desorption (HT-BAµE-µLD) for the extraction and desorption of ketamine and norketamine in up to 100 urine samples simultaneously, resulting in an assay time of only 0.45 min/sample. The identification and quantification were carried out using large volume injection-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry operating in the selected ion monitoring mode (LVI-GC-MS(SIM)). Several parameters that could influencing HT-BAµE were assayed and optimized in order to maximize the recovery yields of ketamine and norketamine from aqueous media. These included sorbent selectivity, desorption solvent and time, as well as shaking rate, microextraction time, matrix pH, ionic strength and polarity. Under optimized experimental conditions, suitable sensitivity (1.0 µg L⁻¹), accuracy (85.5–112.1%), precision (≤15%) and recovery yields (84.9–105.0%) were achieved. Compared to existing methods, the herein described analytical cycle is much faster, environmentally friendly and cost-effective for the quantification of ketamine and norketamine in urine samples. To our knowledge, this is the first work that employs a high throughput based microextraction approach for the simultaneous extraction and subsequent desorption of ketamine and norketamine in up to 100 urine samples simultaneously.