Drugs of abuse in a non-conventional sample; detection of methamphetamine and its main metabolite, amphetamine in abusers' clothes by HPLC with UV and fluorescence detection

Determination of Methamphetamine by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography in Odor-Adsorbent Material Used for Training Drug-Detection Animals

The objective of the present report was to develop and validate a simple, sensitive, and selective analytical method for the determination of methamphetamine in an odor-adsorbent material (gauze) which was used to improve and standardize the training method used for drug-detection animals. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was performed using a Spherisorb ODS2 C18 column (200 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm), with a mobile phase consisting of a 0.25% methanol/triethylamine aqueous solution (V:V = 20:80), the pH of which was adjusted to 3.1 using glacial acetic acid, at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The column temperature was 25 °C, and the detection of the analytes was performed at a wavelength of 260 nm. Methamphetamine showed good linearity (R2 = 0.9999) in the range of 4.2~83.2 mg/mL. The stability of the test material was good over 24 h. The precision of the method was good, with an average spiked recovery of 86.2% and an RSD of 2.9%. The methamphetamine content in the gauze sample was determined to be 7.8 ± 2.2 μg/sample. A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was optimized and validated for the determination of methamphetamine in adsorbent materials (gauze). Validation data in terms of specificity, linearity, the limit of detection and the limit of quantification, reproducibility, precision, stability, and recovery indicated that the method is suitable for the routine analysis of methamphetamine in adsorbent materials (gauze) and provided a basis for training drug-detection animals.

Wearable Electrochemical Glove-Based Analytical Device (eGAD) for the Detection of Methamphetamine Employing Silver Nanoparticles

Illicit drug misuse has become a widespread issue that requires continuous drug monitoring and diagnosis. Wearable electrochemical drug detection devices possess the potential to function as potent screening instruments in the possession of law enforcement personnel, aiding in the fight against drug trafficking and facilitating forensic investigations conducted on site. These wearable sensors are promising alternatives to traditional detection methods. In this study, we present a novel wearable electrochemical glove-based analytical device (eGAD) designed especially for detecting the club drug, methamphetamine. To develop this sensor, we immobilized meth aptamer onto silver nanoparticle (AgNPs)-modified electrodes that were printed onto latex gloves. The characteristics of AgNPs, including their shape, size and purity were analysed using FTIR, SEM and UV vis spectrometry, confirming the successful synthesis. The developed sensor shows a 0.1 µg/mL limit of detection and 0.3 µg/mL limit of quantification with a linear concentration range of about 0.01-5 µg/mL and recovery percentages of approximately 102 and 103%, respectively. To demonstrate its applicability, we tested the developed wearable sensor by spiking various alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink samples. We found that the sensor remains effective for 60 days, making it a practical option with a reasonable shelf-life. The developed sensor offers several advantages, including its affordability, ease of handling and high sensitivity and selectivity. Its portable nature makes it an ideal tool for rapid detection of METH in beverages too.

A Review of Methods Used to Detect Methamphetamine from Indoor Air and Textiles in Confined Spaces

Methamphetamine manufacture, use, and the resulting contamination is a significant issue that affects public health, the environment, and the economy. Third-hand exposure to methamphetamine can result in adverse health risks for individuals and first responders. Such exposures can result from the inhalation of airborne residues or from contact with contaminated objects. This review was conducted to determine the current methods used for methamphetamine extraction from indoor air and porous fabric materials. Dynamic solid phase microextraction (SPME) and sorbent sampling tubes have been applied to extract airborne methamphetamine residues from contaminated properties. SPME and solvent extraction have been applied to sample clothing and textiles for methamphetamine detection. This review demonstrates that there is limited literature on the detection of methamphetamine from indoor air and clothing. Supplementary and consistent methods to detect methamphetamine from air and porous surfaces should be developed and published to allow better assessment of the environmental risk to public health caused by third-hand exposure to methamphetamine.

Probing Skin for Metabolites and Topical Drugs with Hydrogel Micropatches

Sampling the skin surface is a convenient way to obtain biological specimens bearing clinically relevant information. Hydrogel micropatches enable noninvasive collection of skin excretion specimens, which can subsequently be subjected to rapid mass spectrometric analysis providing insights into the skin metabolome.

Rapid in situ detection of street samples of drugs of abuse on textile substrates using microRaman spectroscopy

Trace amounts of street samples of cocaine hydrochloride and N-methyl-3,4-methylenedioxy-amphetamine (MDMA) on natural and synthetic textiles were successfully detected in situ using confocal Raman microscopy. The presence of some excipient bands in the spectra of the drugs did not prevent the unambiguous identification of the drugs. Raman spectra of the drugs were readily obtained without significant interference from the fibre substrates. Interfering bands arising from the fibre natural or synthetic polymer structure and/or dye molecules did not overlap with the characteristic Raman bands of the drugs. If needed, interfering bands could be successfully removed by spectral subtraction. Also, Raman spectra could be acquired from drug particles trapped between the fibres of highly fluorescent textile specimens. The total acquisition time of the spectra of the drug particles was 90 s accomplished non-destructively and without detachment from their substrates. Sample preparation was not required and spectra of the drugs could be obtained non-invasively preserving the integrity of the evidential material for further analysis.

Development and validation of a liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry assay for the simultaneous determination of d-amphetamine and diphenhydramine in beagle dog plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetic study

A new drug, quick-acting anti-motion capsule (QAAMC) composed of d-amphetamine sulfate, dimenhydrinate and ginger extraction has been studied for anti-motion-sickness use. We have developed a sensitive, specific liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for the quantitative determination of d-amphetamine and diphenhydramine, the main effective components of the QAAMC, using pseudoephedrine as the internal standard. The analytes and internal standard were isolated from 200 microL plasma samples by a simple liquid-liquid extraction (LLE). Reverse-phase HPLC separation was accomplished on a Zorbax SB-C18 column (100 mm x 3.0 mm, 3.5 microm) with a mobile phase composed of methanol-water-formic acid (65:35:0.5, v/v/v) at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min. The method had a chromatographic total run time of 5 min. A Varian 1200 L electrospray tandem mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization source was operated in selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode with the precursor-to-product ion transitions m/z 136.0-->91.0 (D-amphetamine), 256.0-->167.0 (diphenhydramine) and 166.1-->148.0 (IS) used for quantitation. The method was sensitive with a lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) of 0.5 ng/mL for d-amphetamine and 1 ng/mL for diphenhydramine, with good linearity in the range 0.5-200 ng/mL for D-amphetamine and 1-500 ng/mL for diphenhydramine (r(2)> or =0.9990). All the validation data, such as accuracy, precision, and inter-day repeatability, were within the required limits. The method was successfully applied to pharmacokinetic study of the QAAMC in beagle dogs.

Determination of methamphetamine and amphetamine in abusers' plasma and hair samples with HPLC-FL

This paper describes highly sensitive HPLC methods for the determination of amphetamine (AP) and methamphetamine (MP) in abusers' plasma and hair samples. AP and MP were derivatized with the fluorescent reagent, DIB-Cl, to yield a highly fluorescent DIB-derivatives of AP and MP, which were then analyzed by HPLC with fluorescence detection at excitation and emission wavelengths of 325 and 430 nm, respectively. The separation was achieved on an ODS column with isocratic mobile phases composed of acetoniltrile and citrate buffer (55:45, v/v) for plasma samples and of acetonitrile-methanol-citrate buffer (45:20:37.5, v/v/v) for hair samples. The limits of detection were less than 0.87 ng/mL and 0.12 ng/mg in plasma and hair samples, respectively, for both AP and MP. The methods were then applied to the determination of MP and its metabolite AP in plasma obtained from two cases of illegally ingested MP and in one of the cases' hair received later. Case I was treated with dialysis; samples before and after dialysis were analyzed by the described method. After dialysis for 5 h, the total plasma levels of AP and MP decreased from 720 to 190 ng/mL. For case II, MP and AP levels were monitored for 3 days after digestion. Total plasma levels decreased from 57 ng/mL in the day of digestion to 11 ng/mL after 3 days. In hair samples, AP and MP could also be detected in very low concentrations.

Lophine derivatives as versatile analytical tools

Lophine (2,4,5-triphenylimidazole) derivatives as versatile analytical tools in biomedical sciences are described. Chemiluminescence (CL) and fluorescence (FL) properties of the lophine derivatives are first demonstrated including the CL reaction mechanism, effects of substituents on CL yields, FL spectral behaviors, etc. Next, analytical applications to the determination of metal ions such as cobalt (II) and chromium (VI) are discussed. Finally, the application studies of lophine derivatives as CL and FL reagents for the determination of organic substances in biological materials are presented. Among the derivatives, 2-(4-hydrazinocarbonylphenyl)-4,5-diphenylimidazole (HCPI) and 4-(4,5-diphenyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)benzoyl chloride (DIB-Cl) are studied, with their excellent properties as labeling reagents for fatty acids and amines and/or phenols, respectively, in high-performance liquid chromatography. The utility of boronic acid derivatives as CL enhancers is also discussed in this review.