Analysis of the sulfur mustard metabolite 1,1'-sulfonylbis[2-S-(N-acetylcysteinyl)ethane] in urine by negative ion electrospray liquid chromatography- tandem mass spectrometry.

A method is described for the analysis of the sulfur mustard metabolite 1,1'-sulfonylbis[2-S-(N-acetylcysteinyl)ethane] in human urine. The analyte was concentrated from urine on a polymeric SPE cartridge and analyzed by liquid chromatography-negative ion electrospray tandem mass spectrometry in the selected reaction monitoring mode. The limit of detection was 0.5-1 ng/mL. The metabolite was detected at concentrations close to the detection limit in samples of urine from two casualties accidentally exposed to sulfur mustard from a First World War munition.