Analytical methods : advancing methods and applications
November 9, 2023
Anne Alves Macedo, Luciano C Arantes, Dilton Martins Pimentel et al.
13 citations
A new electrochemical screening method using a multi-wall carbon nanotube screen-printed electrode combined with square wave voltammetry can detect LSD in forensic samples quickly and reliably. The method shows high stability, with less than 5% variation in measurements, a linear detection range from 0.16 to 40.0 μmol L-1, and a low detection limit of 0.05 μmol L-1. Tests with twenty-three other substances, including phenethylamines and other illicit drugs, demonstrate strong selectivity for LSD. This approach provides a sensitive, reproducible, and straightforward tool for preliminary identification of LSD in seized samples.
Analytical methods : advancing methods and applications
November 14, 2024
Anne Alves Macedo, Dilton Martins Pimentel, Larissa Magalhães de Almeida Melo et al.
6 citations
Discarded screen-printed electrodes can be recoated with a graphite and chitosan mixture to create a reusable sensor for detecting the recreational drug 2C-B in oral fluid and seized samples. The sensor, called SPE-Gr/CTS, detects 2C-B electrochemically with a linear range from 0.05 to 7.5 μmol L⁻¹ and a detection limit of 0.015 μmol L⁻¹. Responses are stable across different electrodes, with relative standard deviation below 5.0%. The method is selective for 2C-B even when seventeen other illicit drugs or adulterants are present. Real seized and oral fluid samples were analyzed, and results matched those from LC-MS. The device offers a rapid, portable, and environmentally friendly screening tool for forensic analysis, using only 50 μL of sample.
Analytical methods : advancing methods and applications
December 21, 2013
Michael J Caspers, Todd D Williams, Kimberly M Lovell et al.
6 citations
A method using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) measures the hallucinogen salvinorin A in non-human primate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and human plasma. For CSF, simple dilution with acetonitrile and formic acid replaces solid phase extraction. Human plasma requires centrifugation, then loading onto a C18 SPE column. A shallow acetonitrile/water gradient elutes the compound. Limits of quantification are 0.0125 ng/mL for CSF and 0.05 ng/mL for plasma. Interday precision and accuracy are below 1.7% and 9.42% for CSF and 3.47% and 12.37% for plasma. The method determined salvinorin A concentrations in a Rhesus monkey study and a human trial using behaviorally active doses.
Analytical methods : advancing methods and applications
September 16, 2021
Izumi Morita, Yuki Kiguchi, Hiroyuki Oyama et al.
3 citations
A new test detects psilocin, the main psychoactive compound in hallucinogenic mushrooms, with much higher sensitivity than before. The method first converts psilocin into a heavier chemical form (TBS/Psi), then uses an antibody that binds strongly to this modified compound. The antibody showed 69-fold higher affinity than an earlier version, and the test's detection midpoint was over 100-fold lower than the previous assay, reaching the desired low-picomole sensitivity. When applied to dried Psilocybe cubensis mushroom powder, the test gave positive signals indicating expected psilocin levels, while four edible mushroom species produced no detectable response.
Analytical methods : advancing methods and applications
November 23, 2023
Mariana C C Diniz, Fabiana de Moura, Yuri Machado et al.
1 citation
A new method uses paper triangles rubbed directly onto seized tablets and blotter paper to detect new psychoactive substances (NPS) via paper spray ionization mass spectrometry (PS-MS). The approach identified LSD, amphetamines, N-benzyl-substituted phenethylamines, synthetic cathinones, and synthetic cannabinoids in real samples. Sample preservation was excellent: less than 5% mass loss occurred even after 27 consecutive analyses, and no significant signal decrease was observed in the mass spectrometry. The method eliminates wet extraction, using only 10 μL of solvent per analysis, making it fast, inexpensive, and waste-minimizing. The intact sample can be retained for further forensic testing.