Rapid screening method for diuretics in doping control using automated solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

A new method has been developed for the routine detection of diuretics in urine samples collected from athletes. The method developed uses automated solid phase extraction (SPE) with analysis of the extracts by high performance liquid chromatography using electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry. It requires only one injection per sample and is currently capable of detecting 35 diuretics and related compounds at the rate of five samples per hour. All parent compounds can be detected at urinary concentrations significantly below 100 ng/ml with the recovery of most analytes being greater than 80%.