Raman spectroscopy using far-red (785 nm) excitation can identify MDMA and related drugs in seized tablets, even when mixed with other materials. The technique produces clear spectra with only two-minute data collection, distinguishing chemically similar substances like MDEA and MBDB, and different forms of the same drug. It also identifies bulking agents and allows semi-quantitative analysis of drug and excipient amounts. The method is rapid, non-destructive, and suitable for automatic sample handling, achieving throughputs of 20 samples per hour.
Analyzing the ratios of hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen isotopes (delta2H, delta13C, delta15N) in MDA and MDMA extracted from seized ecstasy tablets creates a distinct isotopic fingerprint for each batch. This fingerprint can link individual tablets to a common production batch. Combining these data with deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance (2H NMR) analysis of the extracts may reveal information about the natural precursor materials and the synthetic pathways used to manufacture MDA and its N-substituted homologues.
A highly sensitive analytical method using UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS can detect LSD, 13 of its designer analogs, and a metabolite at femtogram-per-milliliter levels in blood, urine, plasma, and serum. The method separates structural isomers and achieves a limit of quantification of 0.5 pg/mL for all substances. A 30-day stability study showed that collecting samples in sodium fluoride (NaF) tubes stabilizes LSD analogs and minimizes conversion of N1-substituted compounds to LSD or MiPLA. The method is the most sensitive reported for analyzing designer LSD analogs in biological samples and is suitable for routine clinical and forensic use. Fragmentation patterns from mass spectra are proposed to aid future identification of new designer LSD analogs.