Ethanolysis of nitrogen mustards: A novel strategy for nitrogen mustard identification in environmental matrices by liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry

Rationale Nitrogen mustards (NMs) are blistering chemical warfare agents. The ability to detect NMs in environmental samples is very important for obtaining forensic evidence. The most common analytical techniques for NM detection are gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, which detects NMs in their intact form but is disadvantaged by high limits of detection (LODs), and liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI‐MS/MS) of their hydrolysis products, which do not provide robust evidence to support NM use. Methods We developed a novel approach to detect and identify NMs using LC/ESI‐MS/MS after chemical derivatization. The method is based on ethoxide ‐promoted ethanolysis prior to analysis. The effects of reaction time, temperature, ethoxide concentration and chromatography behavior were studied and optimized. In the developed procedure, 0.1% (v/v) sodium ethoxide solution is added to the NMs in ethanol and agitated for 2 h at 50°C, followed by LC/ESI‐MS/MS, without any other pretreatment. Results The ethanolysis reaction efficiencies were evaluated in ethanolic extracts from soil, asphalt, and ethanol contaminated with 0.5% (v/v) diesel fortified with NMs at a five ‐ point calibration curve. The calibration curves showed good linearity in the range of 0.05–1 ng/mL, with an R 2 value of 0.99, and were similar to those of LC/MS‐grade ethanol, with almost no observable matrix effects. The derivatization products were stable at room temperature, with LODs of 10 pg/mL, in all investigated extracts. Conclusions Through this newly developed strategy, the derivatization of active NMs by ethanolysis was achieved for the first time, and these derivatization products can serve as specific indicators for the use and presence of NMs. The methodology can also verify trace levels of NM chemical warfare agents collected in war or terror scenarios in forensic investigations.