Measurement Journal Issue 6

T Adhering to protocol Currently, WADA lists 11 categories that include more than 400 banned substances: anabolic agents (Figure 1); hormones and related substances; beta-2 agonists; agents with antiestrogenic activity; diuretics and other masking agents; stimulants; narcotics; cannabinoids; glucocorticosteroids; alcohol; and beta-blockers. For most of these, LC/GC coupled with some form of MS is the preferred analytical technology. Agilent, as a leader in these technologies, has a long involvement in doping testing (see sidebar), having developed the GC nitrogen-phosphorus detector (GC/NPD) speciﬁcally for use at the Munich Olympics. O OH CI H HN CH3 HO H OH CH3 H 19-norandrosterone OH CH3 Testing for performance-enhancing substances is now an accepted part of sporting life in major international competitions such as the Olympics, and even during events at the national and collegiate levels. The ability to ﬁght the use of banned drugs in sports — and ensure a level playing ﬁeld for all participants — depends on tough sanctions supported by a reliable and reproducible scientiﬁc system for doping testing. Liquid chromatography/gas chromatography (LC/GC) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) has long been the core technology used in doping testing. This is an application that poses many challenges — and opportunities — for scientists and chromatographers. Even as the demands on (and from) regulatory agencies continue to evolve, “underground chemists” try to stay one step ahead by synthesizing new and harder-to-detect compounds that can give athletes an unfair advantage. H2N H H H3C CH3 Clenbuterol Scaling the problem The death of British cyclist Tommy Simpson during the 1967 Tour de France focused tremendous attention on the issue of doping in sports. It was later discovered that Simpson had taken amphetamines, which caused his heart to give out during his ascent of the formidable 1,909-meter Mount Ventoux. Stimulants such as amphetamines increase stamina and endurance but also have serious side effects such as dependency, depression and exhaustion. Their use in cycling had become widespread by the end of the 1960s and continued through the 1970s, even though the International Cycling Union introduced a list of banned substances shortly after Simpson’s death. In 1972, doping testing was introduced at the Munich Olympics. Testing at the international level is now overseen by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which was established in 2000.1 Doping testing is also carried out by all the major sporting industry bodies, including Major League Baseball, the National Football League and the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the United States. As a result, demand for doping testing is expanding. In the 33 WADA-accredited labs around the world, the number of tests increased by more than 14,000 between 2004 and 2005, from 169,187 to 183,337. The corresponding increase in adverse analytical ﬁndings — the presence of prohibited substances — grew from 2,909 to 3,909, a 34.4-percent rise. OH HN N H H H H3C H HO H H 3’ -OH stanozolol H3C H3C H OH H Methyltestosterone metabolite (17α-methyl-5β-andrestane-3α, 17β-dial) OH CH3 H H O H HO H H Epitestosterone H Epimetendiol (methandrostenolone metabolite) Figure 1. Chemical structures of common anabolic substances Testing done under the auspices of WADA follows a speciﬁc procedure. The athlete provides a urine or blood sample in the presence of an anti-doping ofﬁcial; the sample is split, by the athlete, into two — the A and B samples — and these are sealed. The samples are then handled within a strict chain of custody similar to that applied to forensic samples. Testing starts with the A sample. An aliquot is extracted and derivatized as necessary to leave a residue that contains the compound or metabolites of interest. The exact procedure depends on the class of drug being tested for in the sample. If the initial test is negative, no further action is taken. With Agilent Measurement Journal 12

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Measurement Journal Issue 6

Measurement Journal Issue 6 Using a Few Words to Convey a Deeply-Held Spirit Charting a Unique Path to Technology Innovation Contents Announcing First Commercial GC/MS Metabolites Library Assessing Nonlinear Behavior Testing Combines Form and Function Testing Multiplay Networks Higher Sensitivity LC/MS Easing Military Radio Test Stepping Up Calibration Accuracy Increasing Spectrum Analyzer Bandwidth 3GPP Tool Supports TS 36 Standards The Olympic Story Spotlights Agilent's Continuing Contribution to Technology Innovation Ensuring a Level Playing Field in Competitive Sports GPS: Coming of Age Resolving Design Issues in HSPA Mobile Devices Achieving Accurate Results with Oscilloscope-Based Jitter-Analysis Software RF Handheld Testers Guarantee Traffic Stability Under Olympic-Sized Stress Conditions Utilizing LAN-Based Instrumentation to Measure Total Harmonic Distortion in Remote Facilities IMT-Advanced: 4G Wireless Takes Shape in an Olympic Year EPO Doping: A Speed Engine, Turbo-Charged by Chemistry

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.