Analytical Methods Used for the Detection and Quantification of Benzodiazepines

Table 1

Usual limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of benzodiazepines by gas chromatography (GC-MS).

Benzodiazepines	Method (GC-MS)				Sample type	Reference
	Instrument ID 9252		Instrument ID 9700
	LOQ (ng/mL)	LOD (ng/mL)	LOQ (ng/mL)	LOD (ng/mL)
Alpha-hydroxyalprazolam	5.53	5.53	5.70	5.70	Urine	[18]
Oxazepam	24.66	19.31	15.61	5.62
Lorazepam	6.13	6.13	26.30	26.30
Nordiazepam	7.72	7.72	14.98	14.98
Temazepam	14.99	14.99	14.56	14.56
Benzodiazepines	LOQ (ng/mL)		LOD (ng/mL)
	0.52–58.47		1.58–177.2		Whole blood	[15]
Benzodiazepines	0.72–1.89		0.24–0.62			[13]
	DRUID cutoff (ng/ml)
Alprazolam, clonazeoam, flunitrazepam, lorazepam, nordiazepam	1				Oral fluid	[10]
Diazepam, oxazepam	5

Diazepam, nordazepam, oxazepam, bromazepam, alprazolam, lorazepam, medazepam, flurazepam, fludiazepam, tetrazepam, chlordiazepoxide, clobazam, midazolam, flunitrazepam, 7-aminoflunitrazepam, triazolam, prazepam, nimetazepam, temazepam, lormetazepam, clonazepam, and camazepam. 7-Aminoclonazepam, α–OH–alprazolam, α–OH–midazolam, alprazolam, bromazepam, clonazepam, diazepam, flunitrazepam, lorazepam, midazolam, nitrazepam, nordazepam, oxazepam, temazepam, and triazolam. The European Union project Driving under the Influence of Drugs (DRUID).