New methods for identification of amphetamines have been employed using gas chromatography/Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (GC/FTIR). These methods have provided identification of the drug and its metabolites, with detection at the low picogram levels or less than 10 ng/mL. Developments in cryogenic sample deposition for GC/FTIR spectroscopy have increased the sensitivity of GC/FTIR to levels that match or surpass that of gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). This advancement in technology has allowed the highly selective ability of infrared spectroscopy to be used for identification and quantitation in studies where the analytes are in low concentrations. The limits of detection (LOD), quantitation (LOQ), and linearity (LOL), and precision have been determined in this study, and these instrumental parameters have been compared with those of established techniques. © 1993 Oxford University Press.
