Doping Control Analysis of Methoxyflurane in Equine Plasma by Headspace Gas Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

To control the potential misuse of methoxyflurane in equine sports, a simple and sensitive method for detecting methoxyflurane in equine plasma by gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry using negative chemical ionisation with methane as reagent gas has been developed and validated. The method shows good sensitivity and robustness, with a limit of detection of 0.05 μg/mL could be achieved by the method, demonstrating the potential to employ this technique in the detection of this volatile and electronegative compound in biological matrices.