Journal of Analytical Toxicology
March 1, 2004
Roman Stanaszek, Wojciech Piekoszewski
40 citations
A new analytical method using liquid chromatography with atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry was developed to detect eight amphetamines in hair samples. After alkaline digestion and extraction, the method achieved detection limits as low as 0.05 ng/mg for methamphetamine, MDA, MDMA, and MDEA, and up to 0.20 ng/mg for methcathinone and PMA. Testing on 93 hair samples from patients in detoxification and methadone treatment found measurable concentrations of ephedrine, methcathinone, amphetamine, methamphetamine, MDMA, and MDEA, while MDA and PMA were never detected. The method provides a sensitive, linear response from 0 to 20 ng/mg for all target drugs.
Forensic toxicology
January 1, 2025
Bogumiła Byrska, Roman Stanaszek
3 citations
Ecstasy tablets sold on the street in Poland vary widely in their content and often contain little or no MDMA. Analysis of nearly 20,000 tablets seized between 2005 and 2020 showed that the average MDMA content dropped from 90 mg in 2005 to 50 mg in 2011, then spiked to 195 mg per tablet in 2013 before declining again. From 2016 onward, average MDMA content rose, ranging from 60 to 280 mg. Almost 20% of tablets sold as Ecstasy contained other psychoactive substances, including new psychoactive substances (NPS) from various chemical groups or dangerous combinations. This variability poses a high risk to users unaware of a tablet's true composition.
Forensic science international
May 31, 2025
Paweł Stelmaszczyk, Ewa Markiel, Karolina Sekuła et al.
2 citations
A portable sensor system using screen-printed carbon electrodes and square wave voltammetry detects MDMA (ecstasy) in seized drugs. The method achieves a detection limit of 0.5 µM and a linear range of 2.5–50 µM, with high reproducibility, satisfactory precision (intra-day CV%: 2.1–7.1%; inter-day CV%: 5.4–6.3%), and excellent recovery rates (89–105%). Testing on authentic ecstasy samples gave results consistent with a reference UHPLC-DAD method. The system's manual fabrication, low cost, simplicity, and portability suggest strong potential for on-site forensic MDMA detection, even in resource-limited settings.
Annales de Toxicologie Analytique
August 14, 2022
Bogumila Byrska, Karolina Masier, Roman Stanaszek
1 citation
Ayahuasca, a traditional medicine, shows promise in psychedelic therapies. In a study involving 120 participants, 75% reported significant mood improvements after consumption. Using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, the analysis identified key compounds like harmine and harmaline, essential for understanding ayahuasca's effects. This innovative approach highlights the intersection of analytical chemistry and traditional practices, paving the way for advancements in forensic toxicology and drug analysis. With psychedelics gaining attention, these findings underscore the importance of chemistry in exploring their therapeutic potential.
Journal of forensic sciences
November 18, 2025
Bogumiła Byrska, Karolina Masier, Roman Stanaszek
Ecstasy tablets shaped as "Stormtrooper" heads seized in Poland between 2020 and 2021 contained not only MDMA but also MDA and, for the first time in Polish seizures, a novel phenylethylamine derivative called MDDM. MDDM is a methyl analogue of MDMA and a dimethyl analogue of MDA with limited pharmacological data and reportedly mild psychoactive effects, likely arising as a by-product of illicit MDMA synthesis. Quantitative analysis showed MDA in the highest concentrations per tablet (26–74 mg), followed by MDDM (11–28 mg) and MDMA (3–11 mg). Although MDDM alone is considered low potency, its co-occurrence with other phenylethylamines may produce synergistic effects and increase toxicity. These findings highlight the unpredictable composition of street drugs and the need for continuous forensic monitoring.