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Zancanaro F, Tedeschi G, Zamengo L, Frasson S, Frison G. Determination of cannabinoids in 50 μL whole blood samples by online extraction using turbulent flow chromatography and LC-HRAM-Orbitrap-MS: Application on driving under the influence of drugs cases. Drug Test Anal 2024; 16:210-220. [PMID: 37343943 DOI: 10.1002/dta.3532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
The analysis of cannabinoids in whole blood is usually done by traditional mass spectrometry (MS) techniques, after offline cleanup or derivatization steps which can be lengthy, laborious, and expensive. We present a simple, fast, highly specific, and sensitive method for the determination of Δ9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), cannabinol (CBN), 11-hydroxy-Δ9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (11-OH-THC), and 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH) in 50 μL whole blood samples. After the addition of deuterated internal standards (IS) and a simple protein precipitation step, an online extraction of sample supernatants using turbulent flow chromatography (TurboFlow-Thermo Scientific) was carried out. Analytes were separated on a C18 analytical column and detected by LC-HRAM-Orbitrap-MS using a Thermo Scientific Q Exactive Focus MS system. MS detection was performed in polarity switching and selected ion monitoring (SIM) modes using five specific acquisition windows, at a resolution of 70,000 (FWHM). Total run time was about 10 min including preanalytical steps. Method validation was carried out by determining limit of detection (LOD), lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ), linearity range, analytical accuracy, intra-assay and interassay precision, carry-over, matrix effect, extraction recovery, and selectivity, for all analytes. Measurement uncertainties were also evaluated, and a decision rule was set with confidence for forensic purposes. The method may become suitable for clinical and forensic toxicology applications, taking advantage of the small matrix volume required, the simple and cost-effective sample preparation procedure, and the fast analytical run time. Performances were monitored over a long-term period and tested on 7620 driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) samples, including 641 positive samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavio Zancanaro
- Laboratory of Clinical and Forensic Toxicology, DMPO Department, AULSS 3 Serenissima, Venice, Italy
| | - Gianpaola Tedeschi
- Laboratory of Clinical and Forensic Toxicology, DMPO Department, AULSS 3 Serenissima, Venice, Italy
| | - Luca Zamengo
- Laboratory of Clinical and Forensic Toxicology, DMPO Department, AULSS 3 Serenissima, Venice, Italy
| | - Samuela Frasson
- Laboratory of Clinical and Forensic Toxicology, DMPO Department, AULSS 3 Serenissima, Venice, Italy
| | - Giampietro Frison
- Laboratory of Clinical and Forensic Toxicology, DMPO Department, AULSS 3 Serenissima, Venice, Italy
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Frison G, Zancanaro F, Frasson S, Quadretti L, Agnati M, Vlassich F, Gagliardi G, Salerno TMG, Donato P, Mondello L. Analytical Characterization of 3-MeO-PCP and 3-MMC in Seized Products and Biosamples: The Role of LC-HRAM-Orbitrap-MS and Solid Deposition GC-FTIR. Front Chem 2021; 8:618339. [PMID: 33628763 PMCID: PMC7897676 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2020.618339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Among the phencyclidine (PCP) and synthetic cathinone analogs present on the street market, 3-methoxyphencyclidine (3-MeO-PCP) is one of the most popular dissociative hallucinogen drugs, while 3-methylmethcathinone (3-MMC) is a commonly encountered psychostimulant. Numerous 3-MeO-PCP- and 3-MMC-related intoxication cases have been reported worldwide. Identification of the positional isomers of MeO-PCP and MMC families are particularly challenging for clinical and forensic laboratories; this is mostly due to their difficult chromatographic separation (particularly when using liquid chromatography–LC) and similar mass spectrometric behaviors. 3-MeO-PCP and 3-MMC were identified in two powders, detained by two subjects and seized by the police, by different analytical techniques, including liquid chromatography-high-resolution accurate-mass Orbitrap mass spectrometry (LC-HRAM-Orbitrap-MS), and solid deposition gas chromatography-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (sd-GC-FTIR). LC-HRAM-Orbitrap-MS allowed us to assign the elemental formulae C18H27NO (MeO-PCP) and C11H15NO (MMC) through accurate mass measurement of the two MH+ ions, and the comparison of experimental and calculated MH+ isotopic patterns. However, MH+ collision-induced product ions spectra were not conclusive in discriminating between the positional isomers [(3-MeO-PCP vs. 4-MeO-PCP) and (3-MMC vs. 4-MMC and 2-MMC)]. Likewise, sd-GC-FTIR easily allowed us to differentiate between the MeO-PCP and MMC positional isomers unambiguously, confirming the presence of 3-MeO-PCP and 3-MMC, due to the high-quality match factor of the experimental FTIR spectra against the target FTIR spectra of MeO-PCP and MMC isomers in a dedicated library. 3-MeO-PCP (in contrast to 3-MMC) was also detected in blood and urine samples of both subjects and analyzed in the context of routine forensic casework by LC-HRAM-Orbitrap-MS following a simple deproteinization step. In addition, this untargeted approach allowed us to detect dozens of phase I and phase II 3-MeO-PCP metabolites in all biological specimens. Analysis of the extracted samples by sd-GC-FTIR revealed the presence of 3-MeO-PCP, thus confirming the intake of such specific methoxy-PCP isomer in both cases. These results highlight the effectiveness of LC-HRAM-Orbitrap-MS and sd-GC-FTIR data in attaining full structural characterization of the psychoactive drugs, even in absence of reference standards, in both non-biological and biological specimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giampietro Frison
- Laboratory of Environmental Hygiene and Forensic Toxicology, DMPO Department, AULSS 3, Venice, Italy
| | - Flavio Zancanaro
- Laboratory of Environmental Hygiene and Forensic Toxicology, DMPO Department, AULSS 3, Venice, Italy
| | - Samuela Frasson
- Laboratory of Environmental Hygiene and Forensic Toxicology, DMPO Department, AULSS 3, Venice, Italy
| | - Laura Quadretti
- Emergency Department Unit, Madonna della Salute Hospital, AULSS 5, Porto Viro (Rovigo), Italy
| | - Michele Agnati
- Emergency Department Unit, Madonna della Salute Hospital, AULSS 5, Porto Viro (Rovigo), Italy
| | - Francesca Vlassich
- Intensive Care Unit, Madonna della Salute Hospital, AULSS 5, Porto Viro (Rovigo), Italy
| | - Giuseppe Gagliardi
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, AULSS 5, Porto Viro (Rovigo), Italy
| | - Tania Maria Grazia Salerno
- BeSep S.r.l., c/o Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Paola Donato
- Department of Biomedical, Dental, Morphological and Functional Imaging Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Luigi Mondello
- BeSep S.r.l., c/o Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.,Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.,Chromaleont S.r.l., c/o Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.,Research Unit of Food Science and Nutrition, Department of Science and Technology for Humans and the Environment, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Borzì V, Frasson S, Gussoni G, Di Lillo M, Gerloni R, Augello G, Gulli G, Ceriello A, Solerte B, Bonizzoni E, Fontanella A. Risk factors for hypoglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes, hospitalized in internal medicine wards: Findings from the FADOI-DIAMOND study. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 2016; 115:24-30. [PMID: 27242119 DOI: 10.1016/j.diabres.2016.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2015] [Revised: 10/30/2015] [Accepted: 01/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Hypoglycemia is a potential risk in the management of patients suffering from type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and hospitalized in internal medicine units (IMUs). The aim of this analysis was to evaluate incidence of hypoglycemia and related risk factors in a group of patients admitted to IMUs. METHODS We used the FADOI-DIAMOND study carried out in 53 Italian IMUs. The DIAMOND design included two cross-sectional surveys interspersed with an educational program. In both phases each center reviewed the charts of the last 30 hospitalized patients with known T2DM (n=3167), including information about hypoglycemia during hospital stay. The association between occurrence of hypoglycemia and potential predictors was evaluated by means of a multivariable logistic regression analysis. RESULTS A total of 385 symptomatic hypoglycemic events were observed (rate=12%). Advanced age, cognitive dysfunction, and nephropathy were associated with hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia occurred in 19.4% of patients treated according to the insulin sliding-scale method versus 11.4% of patients treated with basal bolus (p<0.01). More patients with hypoglycemia received sulfonylureas versus the no-hypoglycemia group (28.3% versus 20.6%, p<0.001). Significantly longer length of hospital stay and increased in-hospital mortality were found in the group with hypoglycemia compared with the no-hypoglycemia group (12.7±10.9 versus 9.6±6.5 days; 8.8% versus 4.8%, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Hypoglycemia in hospitalized patients with diabetes is associated with increased length of hospitalization and in-hospital mortality. Identification of patients at increased risk of hypoglycemia may be important for optimally adapting treatment and patient management.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Borzì
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital "Policlinico Vittorio Emanuele", Catania, Italy
| | - S Frasson
- Clinical Research Department, FADOI Foundation, Milan, Italy.
| | - G Gussoni
- Clinical Research Department, FADOI Foundation, Milan, Italy
| | - M Di Lillo
- Department of Emergency, Azienda Ospedali Marche Nord Santa Croce di Fano, Pesaro e Urbino, Italy
| | - R Gerloni
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ospedali Riuniti di Trieste University Hospital, Trieste, Italy
| | - G Augello
- Department of Internal Medicine, Barone Lombardo Hospital, Canicattì, Italy
| | - G Gulli
- Department of Internal Medicine, SS. Annunziata Hospital, ASL CN1, Savigliano, Italy
| | - A Ceriello
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - B Solerte
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - E Bonizzoni
- Section of Medical Statistics and Biometry GA Maccacaro, Department of Clinical Science and Community, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - A Fontanella
- Department of Internal Medicine, Fatebenefratelli Hospital, Naples, Italy
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Zamengo L, Frison G, Tedeschi G, Frasson S. Forensic-metrological considerations on assessment of compliance (or non-compliance) in forensic blood alcohol content determinations: A case study with software application. Forensic Sci Int 2016; 265:144-52. [PMID: 26921868 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2016.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2015] [Revised: 02/02/2016] [Accepted: 02/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Blood alcohol concentration is the most frequent analytical determination carried out in forensic toxicology laboratories worldwide. It is usually required to assess if an offence has been committed by comparing blood alcohol levels with specified legal limits, which can vary widely among countries. Due to possible serious legal consequences associated with non-compliant alcohol levels, measurement uncertainty should be carefully evaluated, along with other metrological aspects which can influence the final result. The whole procedure can be time-consuming and error-generating in routine practice, increasing the risks for unreliable assessments. A software application named Ethanol WorkBook (EtWB) was developed at the author's laboratory by using Visual Basic for Application language and MS Excel(®), with the aim of providing help to forensic analysts involved in blood alcohol determinations. The program can (i) calculate measurement uncertainties and decision limits with different methodologies; (ii) assess compliance to specification limits with a guard-band approach; (iii) manage quality control (QC) data and create control charts for QC samples; (iv) create control maps from real cases data archives; (v) provide laboratory reports with graphical outputs for elaborated data and (vi) create comprehensive searchable case archives. A typical example of drink driving case is presented and discussed to illustrate the importance of a metrological approach for reliable compliance assessment and to demonstrate software application in routine practice. The tool is made freely available to the scientific community at request.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Zamengo
- Laboratory of Environmental Hygiene and Forensic Toxicology, Department of Prevention - ULSS12 Veneziana, Regione Veneto, p.le San Lorenzo Giustiniani 11/E int.2 30174 Venezia, Mestre, Italy.
| | - Giampietro Frison
- Laboratory of Environmental Hygiene and Forensic Toxicology, Department of Prevention - ULSS12 Veneziana, Regione Veneto, p.le San Lorenzo Giustiniani 11/E int.2 30174 Venezia, Mestre, Italy
| | - Gianpaola Tedeschi
- Laboratory of Environmental Hygiene and Forensic Toxicology, Department of Prevention - ULSS12 Veneziana, Regione Veneto, p.le San Lorenzo Giustiniani 11/E int.2 30174 Venezia, Mestre, Italy
| | - Samuela Frasson
- Laboratory of Environmental Hygiene and Forensic Toxicology, Department of Prevention - ULSS12 Veneziana, Regione Veneto, p.le San Lorenzo Giustiniani 11/E int.2 30174 Venezia, Mestre, Italy
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Frison G, Odoardi S, Frasson S, Sciarrone R, Ortar G, Romolo FS, Strano Rossi S. Characterization of the designer drug bk-2C-B (2-amino-1-(bromo-dimethoxyphenyl)ethan-1-one) by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry without and with derivatization with 2,2,2-trichloroethyl chloroformate, liquid chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom 2015; 29:1196-1204. [PMID: 26395784 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.7211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2015] [Revised: 04/09/2015] [Accepted: 04/12/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE We describe the analytical characterization of the designer drug bk-2C-B, a cathinone derivative, contained in a seized tablet, in the absence of an analytical standard. METHODS The analytical techniques employed include gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), without and with derivatization with 2,2,2-trichloroethyl chloroformate, liquid chromatography/high-resolution-MS (LC/HRMS) with an Orbitrap® analyzer, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). LC/HRMS measurements consisted of accurate mass measurements of MH(+) ionic species under full scan conditions; comparison of experimental and calculated MH(+) isotopic patterns; examination of the isotopic fine structure (IFS) of the M+1, M+2, M+3 isotopic peaks relative to the monoisotopic M+0 peak; study of MH(+) collision-induced dissociation (CID) product ions obtained in fragmentation experiments. RESULTS GC/MS analysis gave highly informative EI mass spectra, particularly after the derivatization of bk-2C-B with 2,2,2-trichloroethyl chloroformate. The application of LC/HRMS, allowing for accurate mass measurements at 100,000 resolving power, greatly enhanced analytical capabilities in structural characterization of this new designer drug. HRMS allowed us to obtain the accurate mass measurements of bk-2C-B MH(+) ionic species, with a mass accuracy of 2.19 ppm; fully superimposable experimental and calculated MH(+) isotopic patterns, with RIA1 and RIA2 values <4%; the IFS of the M+1, M+2, M+3 isotopic peaks relative to the monoisotopic M+0 peak completely in accordance with theoretical values. These findings enabled us to obtain the elemental composition formula of the seized drug. Furthermore, characteristic MH(+) CID product ions enabled the characterization of the bk-2C-B molecular structure. The presence of (79)Br and (81)Br isotopes in the substance molecule produced a characteristic isotopic pattern in most MS spectra. Lastly, NMR spectra allowed us to obtain useful information about the position of substituents in the designer drug. CONCLUSIONS The combination of all the analytical techniques employed allowed the characterization of the seized psychoactive substance, in spite of the lack of a reference standard.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giampietro Frison
- Laboratory of Environmental Hygiene and Forensic Toxicology, Department of Prevention, Azienda ULSS 12 Veneziana, Italy
| | - Sara Odoardi
- Institute of Public Health, Section of Legal Medicine, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - Samuela Frasson
- Laboratory of Environmental Hygiene and Forensic Toxicology, Department of Prevention, Azienda ULSS 12 Veneziana, Italy
| | - Rocco Sciarrone
- Laboratory of Environmental Hygiene and Forensic Toxicology, Department of Prevention, Azienda ULSS 12 Veneziana, Italy
| | - Giorgio Ortar
- Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza - Università di Roma, Italy
| | - Francesco Saverio Romolo
- Legal Medicine Section - SAPIENZA Università di Roma, Italy
- Institut de Police Scientifique, Université de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sabina Strano Rossi
- Institute of Public Health, Section of Legal Medicine, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
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di Micco P, di Micco G, Guida A, Tufano A, Amitrano M, Gussoni G, Frasson S, Dentali F, Monreal M, Visonà A. C0597: Analysis on the Outcome of Italian Patients with Deep Vein Thrombosis Treated with Classic Anticoagulants: Data from the Riete Registry. Thromb Res 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/s0049-3848(14)50231-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Zamengo L, Frison G, Tedeschi G, Frasson S, Zancanaro F, Sciarrone R. Variability of blood alcohol content (BAC) determinations: The role of measurement uncertainty, significant figures, and decision rules for compliance assessment in the frame of a multiple BAC threshold law. Drug Test Anal 2014; 6:1028-37. [DOI: 10.1002/dta.1614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2013] [Revised: 11/27/2013] [Accepted: 12/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Luca Zamengo
- Laboratory of Environmental Hygiene and Forensic Toxicology, Department of Prevention; ULSS12 Veneziana; Regione Veneto, Venezia Mestre Venezia Italy
| | - Giampietro Frison
- Laboratory of Environmental Hygiene and Forensic Toxicology, Department of Prevention; ULSS12 Veneziana; Regione Veneto, Venezia Mestre Venezia Italy
| | - Gianpaola Tedeschi
- Laboratory of Environmental Hygiene and Forensic Toxicology, Department of Prevention; ULSS12 Veneziana; Regione Veneto, Venezia Mestre Venezia Italy
| | - Samuela Frasson
- Laboratory of Environmental Hygiene and Forensic Toxicology, Department of Prevention; ULSS12 Veneziana; Regione Veneto, Venezia Mestre Venezia Italy
| | - Flavio Zancanaro
- Laboratory of Environmental Hygiene and Forensic Toxicology, Department of Prevention; ULSS12 Veneziana; Regione Veneto, Venezia Mestre Venezia Italy
| | - Rocco Sciarrone
- Laboratory of Environmental Hygiene and Forensic Toxicology, Department of Prevention; ULSS12 Veneziana; Regione Veneto, Venezia Mestre Venezia Italy
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Frison G, Gregio M, Zamengo L, Zancanaro F, Frasson S, Sciarrone R. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry determination of mephedrone in drug seizures after derivatization with 2,2,2-trichloroethyl chloroformate. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom 2011; 25:387-390. [PMID: 21192034 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.4842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
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Mombelli G, Fabbri N, Frasson S, Baldo C, De Vergori V, Triolo M, Sirtori C. MS392 MORE UNIFORM CHOLESTEROLEMIC RESPONSE OF WOMEN VS MEN WHEN USING A DIVERSIFIED DRUG APPROACH TO HYPOLIPIDEMIC THERAPY. ATHEROSCLEROSIS SUPP 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/s1567-5688(10)70893-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Mombelli G, Fabbri N, Frasson S, Baldo C, De Vergori V, Triolo M, Sirtori C. P286 DIFFERENTIAL LIPID/LIPOPROTEIN RESPONSE IN WOMEN VS MEN IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY PREVENTION TREATED WITH STATINS. ATHEROSCLEROSIS SUPP 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/s1567-5688(10)70353-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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