Maria Schüller, Ivana Lucic, Åse Marit Leere Øiestad, Stig Pedersen-Bjergaard, Elisabeth Leere Øiestad
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Benzimidazole opioids, often referred to as nitazenes, represent a subgroup of new psychoactive substances with a recent increase in fatal overdoses in the USA and Europe. With a variety of analogs emerging on the illicit drug market, forensic laboratories are challenged to identify these potent drugs. We here present a simple quantitative approach for the determination of nine nitazene analogs, namely, clonitazene, etodesnitazene, etonitazene, etonitazepyne, flunitazene, isotonitazene, metodesnitazene, metonitazene and protonitazene in whole blood using liquid-phase microextraction and electromembrane extraction in a 96-well format and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Green and efficient sample preparation was accomplished by liquid-phase microextraction in a 96-well format and resulted in high extraction yields for all analytes (>81%). Here, blood diluted with buffer (1:1, %v) was extracted from a donor compartment across a thin organic liquid membrane and into an aqueous acceptor solution. The acceptor solution was collected and directly injected into the analysis platform. Chromatographic separation was accomplished with a biphenyl column, allowing for a baseline separation of the structural isomers isotonitazene and protonitazene before detection by multiple reaction monitoring. Validation was performed according to Scientific Working Group of Forensic Toxicology guidelines. The calibration range was from 0.5 to 50 nM (except for protonitazene and clonitazene from 0.1 nM) with good linearity and limits of detection down to 0.01 nM. An AGREEprep assessment was performed to evaluate sample preparation greenness, with a final score of 0.71. Nitazenes represent a current threat to public health, and analytical methods that cover a wide range of these analogs are limited. Here, the described method may assist in the detection of nitazenes in whole blood and prevent these substances from being missed in postmortem investigations.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Analytical Toxicology (JAT) is an international toxicology journal devoted to the timely dissemination of scientific communications concerning potentially toxic substances and drug identification, isolation, and quantitation.
Since its inception in 1977, the Journal of Analytical Toxicology has striven to present state-of-the-art techniques used in toxicology labs. The peer-review process provided by the distinguished members of the Editorial Advisory Board ensures the high-quality and integrity of articles published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology. Timely presentation of the latest toxicology developments is ensured through Technical Notes, Case Reports, and Letters to the Editor.