Combining surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and paper spray mass spectrometry for the identification and confirmation of psychotropic substances in alcoholic beverages
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Criminal practices in which an individual becomes vulnerable and prone to sexual assault after ingesting drinks spiked with doping substances have become a social concern globally. As forensic protocols require a multi-tiered strategy for chemical evidentiary analysis, the backlog of evidence has become a significant problem in the community. Herein, a fast, sensible, and complementary dual analytical methodology was developed using a single commercial paper substrate for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and paper spray mass spectrometry (PS-MS) analysis to identify psychotropic substances added to alcoholic beverages irrefutably. To study and investigate this criminal practice, pharmaceutical formulations containing distinct psychotropic substances (zolpidem, clonazepam, diazepam, and ketamine) were added to drinks typically consumed at parties and festivals (Pilsen beer, açaí Catuaba®, gin tonic, and vodka mixed with Coca-Cola Zero®). A simple liquid–liquid extraction with a low-temperature partitioning (LLE-LTP) procedure was applied to the drinks and effectively minimized matrix effects. As a preliminary analysis, SERS spectra combined with Hierarchical Clustering Analysis (HCA) provided sufficient information to investigate the samples further. The presence of the protonated species for the psychotropic substances in the spiked drinks was readily verified in the mass spectra and confirmed by tandem mass spectrometry. Finally, the results demonstrate the potential of this methodology to be easily implemented into the routine of forensic laboratories and to be further employed at harm reduction tends at parties and festivals to detect contaminated beverages promptly and irrefutably as an efficient tool to prevent such crimes.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Mass Spectrometry publishes papers on a broad range of topics of interest to scientists working in both fundamental and applied areas involving the study of gaseous ions.
The aim of JMS is to serve the scientific community with information provided and arranged to help senior investigators to better stay abreast of new discoveries and studies in their own field, to make them aware of events and developments in associated fields, and to provide students and newcomers the basic tools with which to learn fundamental and applied aspects of mass spectrometry.