Detection of lysergic acid diethylamide, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and related compounds by plasma chromatography.

Plasma chromatography as a method for ultratrace qualitative and quantitative detection of organic compounds is especially well suited for detection of gas chromatographic effluents. The optimum range of sample quantity is 10-6 to 10-12 g for detection and identification of a compound by use of its characteristic positive and negative mobility spectra. The type of reference mobility spectra produced by alkanes, aromatics, esters, halogenated compounds, nitrogenated compounds and organic acids have been previously reported. This study presents the reference mobility spectra produced for lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9-THC), digitoxigenin and several biochemical compounds of research significance. LSD and delat-9-THC in a mixture can be detected and identified by plasma chromatography positive mobility spectra in quantities of 10-7 g or less. All the compounds investigated in this study display strong MH-+ ions along with other ions primarily of the type (M)NO-+, (M)2H-+. None of these compounds exhibits negative mobility spectra.