A new potent serotonin 5-HT2A receptor agonist, 25I-NBOH, was identified in blotter papers by several state-level forensic laboratories in Brazil. The molecule is labile and fragments into 2C-I during routine GC screening, requiring GC-MS, LC-QTOF-MS, FTIR, and NMR for full characterization. Individual doses range from 300 to 1000 μg. Although it is a potent 5-HT2A receptor agonist, 25I-NBOH is not registered with the UNODC and is controlled only in Sweden and Brazil. This is the first scientific report of 25I-NBOH identification in actual seizures.
Forensic identification of LSD typically relies on the Ehrlich spot test, which is nonspecific and cannot distinguish LSD from the uncontrolled substance 9,10-dihydro-LSD, recently found in Brazilian blotters. This work used easy ambient sonic-spray ionization mass spectrometry (EASI-MS) to characterize LSD and 9,10-dihydro-LSD directly from blotter surfaces. Of 41 blotters analyzed by EASI-MS, 28 tested positive for LSD, seven for 9,10-dihydro-LSD, and six for neither. Results were confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Combining thin-layer chromatography with EASI-MS proved a simple, powerful screening tool for forensic drug analysis.