CA spring 2016

Proposed Project Summary

Identification of Acetaminophen Free Radical Formation Products

The primary goal of this project is to identify acetaminophen free radical formation products using GC-MS. The commonly used pain killer APAP is very toxic when ingested in high doses and can result in kidney and liver damage. Cytochrome P-450 is found to be one of the two enzymes that catalyze the oxidation of APAP leading to the formation of toxic metabolites and covalent modification of proteins. This project aims to analyze these metabolites. Samples are to be prepared by acetylation of APAP polymers.

Update on Research work

February 27th, 2016 http://www.flir.com/uploadedFiles/flirGS/Threat_Detection/Chemical_Detection/Mass_Spectrometry/Products/Griffin/Griffin_824/grob%20gc%20test%20mixture_6.pdf

GC-MS instrumentation experimental procedure found in a paper on determination of acetaminophen using GC-MS was followed. The GC was programmed at an initial temperature of 70°C for 1min, ramped up to 250°C at a rate of 30°C/min followed by a hold at 250°C for 20 min in splitless mode. The sample was made by acetylation of acetaminophen by adding drops of acetic anhydride and 3μL of pyridine. 1μL of acetylated acetaminophen in methanol was injected, and there was no peak detection at all for 3 runs.

In order to get a working solution, several dilutions of stock unacetylated acetaminophen were made in methanol within the concentration ranges of 75-400μg/mL as suggested in the paper. Injections of different concentration(100μg/mL, 200μg/mL, 400μg/mL) resulted in no peak detection after 2 runs were conducted for each. Some of the data were saved even though there was no peaks observed. To further the overall research work until a working solution is developed, progress has been made in finding and reading journal articles for writing the abstract and introduction of the paper on this project.