Rapid screening of 2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose infusions for volatile organic compound contaminants by solid phase microextraction with gas chromatography-selective ion monitoring mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-SIMMS).

A method compatible with radioactive samples, capable of detecting trace volatile components in a sample volume of ca. 1cm(3) of 2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose solution is described. The approach, based on solid phase micro-extraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with a carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane based fibre, was optimised with respect to extraction time (10 min), extraction temperature (60 degrees C) and phase volume ratio (1). The analysis time, including extraction, was less than 20 min with linear responses for acetonitrile and ethanol over the ranges: 0.09-80 microg cm(-3) (22 degrees C, acetonitrile) and 0.78-79 microg cm(-3) (22 degrees C, ethanol). The detection limits were estimated to be ca. 0.78 microg cm(-3) for ethanol and 0.09 microg cm(-3) for acetonitrile. Stability studies indicated analyte losses of up to 75% over 24h and analysis of aged 2-[18F]FDG samples showed that levels of ethanol and acetonitrile were not less than 100 microg cm(-3), indicative of levels substantially greater than this in the original infusions given to human subjects.