Rapid Screening of Illicit Drugs from Biofluid via Dried Blood/Urine Spot and Ultrasonic Desorption-Assisted Low-Temperature Arc Plasma Ionization Mass Spectrometry.
Zhongbao Han, Zhongyu Zhao, Meiyun Pan, Yimeng Qi, Liyan Liu, Dan Wang, Zhan Yu
Analytical chemistry April 29, 2025 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.5c00232 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA new method for quickly detecting illicit drugs in biological fluids uses paper-based sample collection combined with ultrasonic desorption and low-temperature plasma ionization mass spectrometry. Optimized with ketamine, the technique achieves detection limits of 10 to 20 ng per mL, linear ranges with R² above 0.99, and recovery rates over 91% in complex fluids. It performs reliably even with drug mixtures and under varied storage conditions. Analysis takes only 3 seconds, making it suitable for high-throughput point-of-care testing and forensic screening.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Method development and validation Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Forensic-science Drug-testing Medical-diagnostics Rapid-screening |
| Citations | 3 |
| Key finding | The paper-based sampling and ultrasonic desorption-assisted low-temperature plasma ionization mass spectrometry method enables rapid (3-second) detection of illicit drugs in biofluids with high sensitivity (detection limits 10-20 ng/mL) and recovery rates above 91%. |
Abstract
A novel method for rapid and sensitive illicit drug screening in biofluids has been developed by employing a paper-based sample collection coupled with ultrasonic desorption-assisted low-temperature plasma ionization mass spectrometry (PBS-LTPI-MS). For optimization, key experimental parameters, such as geometry coordinates, angle, and plasma intensity, were fine-tuned using ketamine as the representative analyte. The redissolution process, which encompasses the use of organic solvents and sample collection paper, underwent an evaluation to establish conditions conducive to efficient ionization. The proposed method demonstrated excellent analytical performance, with linear ranges exceeding R2 > 0.99, limits of detection ranging from 10 to 20 ng mL-1, and impressive recovery rates exceeding 91.16% in complex biofluid matrixes. Spiked recovery experiments revealed strong matrix tolerance and reliable performance, even in the presence of illicit drug mixtures. The robustness of the sampling device under varying storage temperatures and durations further confirmed the method's suitability for point-of-care testing and large-scale sample collection. With the ability to analyze samples within a mere 3 s, high-throughput potential, and environmental robustness, this method stands out as an invaluable instrument for rapid illicit drug screening and forensic analysis.