Abstract

Calibration curves are essential in quantitative methods and for improving the accuracy of analyte measurements in biological samples. In this study, a statistical analysis model built in the R language (The R Foundation for Statistical Computing) was used to identify a set of weighting factors and regression models based on a stepwise selection criteria. An LC-MS/MS method was used to detect the presence of urinary methamphetamine, amphetamine, and 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ⁹ -tetrahydrocannabinol in a sample set. Weighting factors for the calibration curves were derived by calculating the heteroscedasticity of the measurements, where the presence of heteroscedasticity was determined via variance tests. The optimal regression model and weighting factor were chosen according to the sum of the absolute percentage relative error. Subsequently, the order of the regression model was calculated using a partial variance test. The proposed statistical analysis tool facilitated selection of the optimal calibration model and detection of methamphetamine, amphetamine, and 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol in urine. Thus, this study for the selection of weighting and the use of a complex regression equation may provide insights for linear and quadratic regressions in analytical and bioanalytical measurements.