TD-ESI-MS/MS for High-Throughput Screening of 13 Common Drugs and 4 Etomidate Analogs in Hair: Method Validation and Forensic Applications.
Toxics April 23, 2025 Meng Li, Jinbo Li, Binling Zhu
A dual analytical workflow combining thermal desorption-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (TD-ESI-MS/MS) for rapid screening and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) for confirmatory quantification was developed to detect 17 psychoactive substances and metabolites in hair. The TD-ESI-MS/MS method showed limits of detection between 0.1 and 0.2 ng/mg, with 85.7% sensitivity and over 89.7% specificity. UPLC-MS/MS confirmation achieved accuracy rates of 89.7-99.8%. In analyzed specimens, etomidate analogs were the most prevalent psychoactive substances (73.6%), followed by amphetamine-type stimulants (12.5%), ketamine-type drugs (9.0%), and opioids (2.8%). Polydrug use patterns included concurrent etomidate-amphetamine consumption (n = 5) and complex analog combinations (etomidate-isopropoxate-metomidate, n = 13), indicating evolving abuse trends. The approach demonstrates viability for forensic and public health applications.