Determination of anabolic androgenic steroids in dietary supplements and external drugs by magnetic solid-phase extraction combined with high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

ABSTRACT

The widespread abuse of anabolic androgenic steroids by healthy people leads to the risk of major mood disorders and heart failure; thus, the determination of anabolic androgenic steroids is vital. In this study, 17 anabolic androgenic steroids in dietary supplements and external drugs were identified, and their concentration was determined. For this purpose, polyaniline-coated magnetic nanoparticles were prepared and then subjected to magnetic solid-phase extraction combined with high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The experimental parameters of magnetic solid-phase extraction were studied in detail, and the optimal conditions were established. Under the optimal conditions, the limits of detection were in the range of 0.001-0.02 µg/L, with relative standard deviations of 5.52-11.6% (n = 7) for all the steroids, and the enrichment factors were in the range of 20.0-24.8. The developed method was then successfully applied for the determination of 17 anabolic androgenic steroids in real samples, and dehydroepiandrosterone (prasterone) was detected in a commercially available external drug.