Analytical Sciences

Abstract − Analytical Sciences, 37(2), 341 (2021).

Extraction of Volatile Anticancer Drugs in Air Using a Solid-Phase Extraction Type Device Followed by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometric Analysis
Ikuo UETA,*1 Katsunori SUMIYA,*1 Koji FUJIMURA,*2 Tomotaka YOSHIMURA,*3 Ryosuke KIKUCHI,*4 Yoshihiro SAITO,*5 and Keishi KAWATA*4
*1 Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu 400-8511, Japan
*2 Shinwa Chemical Industries Ltd., 50-2 Kagekatsu, Fushimi, Kyoto 612-8307, Japan
*3 HORIBA STEC, Co. Ltd., 11-5 Hokotate, Kamitoba, Minami, Kyoto 601-8116, Japan
*4 Department of Pharmacy, University of Yamanashi Hospital, 1110 Shimokato, Chuo 409-3898, Japan
*5 Department of Applied Chemistry and Life Science, Toyohashi University of Technology, 1-1 Hibarigaoka, Tempaku, Toyohashi 441-8580, Japan
Ifosfamide (IF), cyclophosphamide (CP), and bendamustine (BD) are widely used anticancer drugs. These drugs have slight volatility; therefore, medical-staff exposure is of concern in the medical field. However, an accurate and quantitative detection method of these volatile drugs in air has not been reported. In this study, we developed the quantitative extraction and detection method of these volatile anticancer drugs in air. For the extraction of analytes, a solid-phase extraction-type collection device packed with styrene-divinylbenzene polymer particles was used. The extracted analytes were quantitatively eluted with 5 mL of ethanol, and the solution was concentrated to 100 μL with nitrogen purging. The analytes were analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The limit of detection of the proposed method for IF and CP was 0.017 and 0.033 ng L−1, respectively in air at an air sampling volume of 300 L. IF and CP showed slight volatility, whereas BD was not detected in GC-MS due to its lower volatility. The spiked recoveries of IF and CP in the proposed method were within the range of 95.5 to 101%. Finally, the proposed method was applied to determine the exposure of IF and CP during the dispensing of CP within a hospital dispensary room. The investigated volatile anticancer drugs were not detected in real air samples, indicating that the protection measures employed are sufficient.