Quantitative Analysis of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide and Metabolite in Urine by Automated Extraction and Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

This article focuses on the validation of an automated sample preparation method for detecting lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and its primary urinary metabolite, 2-oxo-3-hydroxy-LSD (OHLSD), in urine using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS-MS). The method employs an automated Dispersive Pipette XTRaction (DPX) technique on Hamilton STAR liquid handling systems, achieving a limit of quantitation of 0.05 ng/mL for both analytes and meeting Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 1010.16 standards. This approach enhances efficiency, sensitivity, and quality assurance in high-throughput testing, supporting workplace drug deterrence programs, particularly within the U.S. military. Validation results demonstrated acceptable linearity, precision, specificity, and stability, with successful application to real-world samples showing a 27.3% positivity rate for LSD and/or OHLSD.