Gas Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry for Biomarkers of Alcohol Abuse in Human Hair

摘要

Hair analysis often provides a longer history of substance abuse than biological fluids such as blood or urine. Previous studies have shown that hair analysis can be used for the determination of alcohol abuse by detecting certain fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE). FAEE are good markers for alcohol use because they are stable, naturally occurring compounds. They are produced from free fatty acids, triglycerides, and/or lipoproteins in the presence of ethanol by FAEE synthase. There are three different mechanisms by which FAEE are believed to be integrated into the hair matrix: a) Ethanol diffusion into hair root cells where it is processed by FAEE synthase. b) Esterification in the sebaceous gland due to the presence of ethanol. From there esters are released into the seubum then diffuse into the hair matrix. c) Esters synthesized in other organs are transported to hair root cells via blood circulation.