Assessment of ∆9-THC and ∆9-THCCOOH Bias, Precision, and Ionization Suppression/Enhancement between Solid Tissue Homogenate and Supernatant by LC-MS/MS

LC-MS-MS assays are frequently utilized for screening and confirmatory purposes in the forensic toxicology laboratory. While these techniques are excellent for the targeted identification and quantitation of a wide variety of drug classes, validation and determining fit-for-purpose is a requirement for each method. In the United States, ANSI/ASB Standard 036 currently serves as a primary resource in forensic toxicology method validation, and mandates that laboratories evaluate critical performance characteristics to help ensure the production of forensically defensible results. Due to the variability of specimen quality frequently encountered in the discipline of postmortem toxicology, the [Author Information Removed] Office of the Chief Medical Examiner Forensic Toxicology Laboratory routinely analyzes solid tissue specimens as part of the medicolegal death investigation process and evaluates liver as a representative solid tissue matrix during method validation. Authentic postmortem specimens (e.g., liver, kidney, skeletal muscle, and spleen) were used to investigate the effects of analyzing solid tissue homogenate versus solid tissue supernatant on bias, precision, and ionization suppression/enhancement of ∆9-THC and ∆9-THCCOOH. Bias was