Journal of analytical toxicology最新文献

{"title":"Three-year review of tetrahydrocannabinol and alcohol blood concentrations and effects in impaired driving investigations in Ontario, Canada.","authors":"Sabrina Amundarain, Zachary Currie, Karen Woodall","doi":"10.1093/jat/bkag075","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jat/bkag075","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Driving under the influence of cannabis is a significant public safety issue. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, can impair driving ability and when used in combination with alcohol, the level of impairment can increase. Case studies documenting blood concentrations of THC and associated observations of impairment in individuals suspected of impaired driving continue to provide important contributions to the scientific literature. Retrospective analysis was performed using data from impaired driving investigations in which THC alone, and in combination with alcohol, were the only findings in blood samples submitted to the Centre of Forensic Sciences between 2021 and 2023, inclusive. In cases where only THC was present, blood concentrations ranged from 1.1 to 72 ng/mL (mean 12 ng/mL, median 9.5 ng/mL). When both THC and alcohol were present, the mean blood THC concentration was 13 ng/mL, and the mean blood alcohol concentration was 145 mg/100 mL. The most common driving and drug recognition expert (DRE) observations included collisions, erratic driving, eyelid tremors, poor balance and coordination, and bloodshot eyes. Observations of driving impairment were more frequently observed in cases where both THC and alcohol were detected in the blood. These findings provide additional data to inform the interpretation of blood THC concentrations in the context of DRE observations and suspected impaired driving investigations.</p>","PeriodicalId":14905,"journal":{"name":"Journal of analytical toxicology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148850780","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Paper spray mass spectrometry for rapid toxicology targeted screening of emergency department samples: a research study.","authors":"Stefania Boccuzzi, David Cowan, Paul I Dargan, Edward Goucher, Vincenzo Abbate","doi":"10.1093/jat/bkag060","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jat/bkag060","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Acute recreational drug toxicity (ARDT) is a frequent cause of emergency department (ED) presentations, yet comprehensive toxicological testing by chromatographic techniques is rarely conducted due to limited availability and resource-intensive workflows. Consequently, initial clinical decisions are made without analytical confirmation. Paper spray-mass spectrometry (PS-MS) may offer an alternative approach for targeted clinical toxicology screening owing to its rapid and simplified analysis of biological samples. Serum donor samples from patients presenting to the ED with suspected ARDT were analyzed using PS-MS and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for method comparison. Targeted screening and quantitative performance were evaluated using pooled diagnostic metrics, orthogonal regression, per-analyte % bias and Bland-Altman analyses. PS-MS was subsequently applied to a larger screening-only cohort to assess analytical performance, detection frequency, and concentration distributions across a clinically relevant drug panel. Across 114 research samples, PS-MS demonstrated high targeted screening performance, with a pooled sensitivity of 82.7%, specificity and positive predictive value of 100%, and negative predictive value of 98.2%. Quantitative comparison showed strong correlation between methods, with proportional bias at higher concentrations and no single analyte influencing the agreement metrics. In the screening-only cohort (n = 99), PS-MS detected and quantified a broad range of analytes, including evidence of polydrug use. Several low-frequency analytes were not observed within the analyzed serum donor sample cohort. PS-MS may provide a fast and specific targeted screening approach for ARDT in ED samples, delivering analytically informative toxicological data. While not a replacement for confirmatory testing or a validated in vitro diagnostic assay, this research study into PS-MS represents a valuable complementary tool to support downstream confirmatory testing.</p>","PeriodicalId":14905,"journal":{"name":"Journal of analytical toxicology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13392471/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148411773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correction to: Breath-Alcohol Simulators: Scientific Basis and Actual Performance.","authors":"","doi":"10.1093/jat/bkag062","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jat/bkag062","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":14905,"journal":{"name":"Journal of analytical toxicology","volume":"50 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148620106","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tramadol in drug-facilitated sexual assault: global case prevalence, pharmacology, and drug interactions.","authors":"David Stewart-Yates, Garth L Maker, John Coumbaros","doi":"10.1093/jat/bkag067","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jat/bkag067","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) refers to sexual acts where the victim is incapacitated by the effects of psychotropic substances, causing impaired ability to prevent an attack and/or provide informed consent. To date, the level of understanding of the prevalence of the specific drugs involved in DFSA has been limited. This review examines global toxicological case data to assess the prevalence of tramadol, a widely prescribed opioid analgesic, in the context of DFSA. Tramadol was confirmed in reports across Africa, Oceania, Europe, the Middle East, and North America, with detection rates ranging from 1% to 33%. In these cases, 17 voluntary and involuntary drug combinations were identified including alcohol, opioids, benzodiazepines, Z-drugs, cannabinoids, and stimulants. These substances pose significant risk for both pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic interaction with tramadol, potentially altering plasma metabolite levels, clearance times and also central nervous system depression, facilitating DFSA and influencing forensic detection and interpretation of tramadol and its metabolites. Overall, this review underscores the significance of tramadol in DFSA casework and highlights the importance of drug-drug interactions in order to improve forensic analysis in DFSA casework and aid in legal action leading to victim support and closure.</p>","PeriodicalId":14905,"journal":{"name":"Journal of analytical toxicology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13437024/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148535890","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From blood to brain: postmortem brain concentrations and brain-blood ratios of chlorprothixene, clozapine, olanzapine, and quetiapine.","authors":"Mikayla Z van der Meer, Brian S Rasmussen, Michael Nedahl, Marie K K Nielsen","doi":"10.1093/jat/bkag065","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jat/bkag065","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Treatment with antipsychotics such as chlorprothixene, clozapine, olanzapine, and quetiapine can be associated with cardiovascular and metabolic risks and poisoning, making them highly relevant in toxicological investigations. Since antipsychotics primarily act within the central nervous system, brain tissue serves as an alternative or complementary matrix to femoral blood in toxicological analysis. This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate brain concentrations and brain-blood ratios across toxic and non-toxic levels in 466 postmortem cases involving chlorprothixene, clozapine, olanzapine, and/or quetiapine. Median concentrations in brain tissue across all cases were 0.20 mg/kg for chlorprothixene, 4.2 mg/kg for clozapine, 0.42 mg/kg for olanzapine, and 0.34 mg/kg for quetiapine. Corresponding brain-blood ratios remained stable across the examined concentration range with median ratios of 3.1 for chlorprothixene, 2.9 for clozapine, 2.6 for olanzapine, and 3.0 for quetiapine. The provided brain concentrations and ratios can support further toxicological evaluations of postmortem cases.</p>","PeriodicalId":14905,"journal":{"name":"Journal of analytical toxicology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13437013/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148470776","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"HPLC-MS/MS stereoselective determination and quantification of MDMA and its phase-1 metabolite in human oral fluid samples: estimation of consumption time.","authors":"Aurora Balloni, Sarah M R Wille, Giorgia Sprega, Giorgi Kobidze, Anastasio Tini, Alfredo Fabrizio Lo Faro","doi":"10.1093/jat/bkag009","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jat/bkag009","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as Ecstasy, is a psychoactive substance used for recreational purposes. This study used a stereoselective method based on high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) to quantify MDMA and 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) enantiomers in human oral fluid (OF). Samples were collected during a clinical trial and roadside police checks. The enantiomer concentrations were determined in 161 OF samples. Pharmacokinetic data showed that the S-(+)-enantiomer of MDMA was eliminated faster than the R-(-)-enantiomer, with half-lives of 3.3 and 4.8 h, respectively. Peak concentrations for both enantiomers were reached within 1.75 h post-administration. For MDA, the second-enantiomer was eliminated more quickly, with a half-life of 9.6 h compared to 23.8 h for the first-enantiomer. The analysis of the MDMA R/S enantiomer ratio revealed a gradual increase over time, suggesting the possibility of estimating the time since ingestion. In samples collected during roadside checks, 54.5% of cases had an R/S ratio greater than 1.5, which might indicate consumption within the previous 24 h. In conclusion, OF proved to be a promising non-invasive matrix for the detection of MDMA and MDA. The stereoselective analysis provided useful information for estimating the time of substance intake, especially in forensic contexts such as Driving Under the Influence of Drugs (DUID) cases.</p>","PeriodicalId":14905,"journal":{"name":"Journal of analytical toxicology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147468011","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Anticholinergic toxidrome in a toddler with unwitnessed ingestion: diagnostic clues pointing to over-the-counter medication overdose.","authors":"Sayaka Nagasawa, Go Inokuchi, Haruna Tokitomo, Hiroshi Okada, Hirotaro Iwase","doi":"10.1093/jat/bkag066","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jat/bkag066","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We report a case of a previously healthy 3-year-old girl who developed acute altered consciousness, agitation, and visual hallucinations consistent with an anticholinergic toxidrome. Initial examinations were unremarkable, and urine immunoassay screening (SIGNIFY™ ER) was negative. Serum analysis by liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry identified chlorpheniramine and scopolamine, while excluding other agents. Concentrations were 370 ng/mL for chlorpheniramine and 1 ng/mL for scopolamine, both near reported toxic ranges. An empty blister pack of 22 pediatric motion sickness tablets was found at the patient's home, confirming accidental overdose of an over-the-counter (OTC) anti-motion sickness medication. This case demonstrates the diagnostic utility of high-resolution mass spectrometry in pediatric poisoning, particularly for drugs not detected by routine screening. It represents a rare report documenting quantitative confirmation of both chlorpheniramine and scopolamine in a child, with correlation between serum concentrations and clinical presentation. Scopolamine is highly toxic even at low concentrations, and pediatric cases with measured blood levels are exceedingly rare. Our findings highlight the need to consider additive or synergistic toxicity in OTC formulations containing multiple anticholinergic agents and emphasize the importance of caregiver education regarding the potential risks of OTC medications often perceived as safe.</p>","PeriodicalId":14905,"journal":{"name":"Journal of analytical toxicology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148455760","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Toxicokinetics and tissue distribution of carbofuran and its six metabolites in rats.","authors":"Xian Ju, Di Liang, Xiaoyuan Yang, Zhuoyi Wang, Huan Gao, Zhiwen Wei, Dan Zhang, Keming Yun, Zhe Chen","doi":"10.1093/jat/bkag069","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jat/bkag069","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To our knowledge, this study provides the first integrated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based characterization of the toxicokinetics, excretion, and multi-tissue distribution of carbofuran and six major metabolites in rats following controlled oral exposure. A sensitive and reliable LC-MS/MS method coupled with a unified C18 solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure was developed and validated for the simultaneous quantification of these seven analytes in biological samples. Following a single oral dose of carbofuran (5 mg/kg), the parent compound was rapidly absorbed. Notably, the systemic exposure (area under the concentration-time curve, AUC) of several oxidative metabolites, particularly 3-hydroxycarbofuran phenol, significantly exceeded that of carbofuran. For the tissue distribution study, rats were assigned to four carbofuran-treated experimental groups and euthanized at 1, 6, 24, and 72 h post-dosing, respectively. All compounds were widely distributed, with the kidney exhibiting pronounced accumulation at 6 h post-dose, identifying this organ as a primary toxicological target. Furthermore, 3-ketocarbofuran and 3-ketocarbofuran phenol exhibited selective enrichment in lung tissue, while hydroxylated metabolites were detected in muscle and brain tissues, providing a pharmacokinetic rationale for respiratory impairment, intermediate syndrome, and neurotoxicity. Excretion data confirmed renal clearance as the predominant elimination route, with metabolites primarily excreted as hydroxylated and glucuronide-conjugated forms in urine. These findings elucidate the in vivo metabolic fate and multi-organ toxicity of carbofuran, offering critical kinetic data and robust ante-mortem biomarkers for improved risk assessment, forensic intoxication analysis, and health evaluation of long-term exposure.</p>","PeriodicalId":14905,"journal":{"name":"Journal of analytical toxicology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148620111","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development and validation of an LC-MS/MS method for the determination of glucocorticoids and endocannabinoids in hair: application to longitudinal pregnancy samples.","authors":"Brooke Fontaine, Alexis Palma, Marta Concheiro","doi":"10.1093/jat/bkag070","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jat/bkag070","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Chronic stress has been associated with adverse health outcomes, including anxiety, depression, and cardiovascular disease. During pregnancy, stress-related biological changes may affect maternal and fetal health; however, assessing cumulative stress-related biomarkers remains challenging. Glucocorticoids (cortisol/cortisone) and endocannabinoids (lipid-based neurotransmitters) have been proposed as biomarkers related to stress physiology. Hair is a useful matrix for evaluating cumulative analyte exposure over extended periods because it is less affected by short-term fluctuations and circadian variation than blood, saliva, or urine. The aims of this study were to: (i) develop and validate a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous determination of glucocorticoids and endocannabinoids in hair, and (ii) apply the method to hair samples collected at delivery to describe glucocorticoid and endocannabinoid concentrations across pregnancy. The method consisted of 20 mg of pulverized hair incubated in 1 ml of methanol:acetonitrile (75:25) under ultrasound at 55°C for 2 h, and analyzed by LC-MS/MS. A total of 66 3-cm hair segments from 35 pregnant women across the three trimesters were analyzed. Glucocorticoids were detected in 62 segments (cortisol in 62 and cortisone in 54) and endocannabinoids in all of them (oleoylethanolamine and palmitoylethanolamine in all, 2-arachidonoylglycerol in 53, but none for arachidonoylethanolamide). In the 13 cases with segments from all three trimesters, no significant changes in endocannabinoids were observed, whereas glucocorticoids increased throughout pregnancy. These findings demonstrate that hair analysis enables reliable, longitudinal assessment of glucocorticoids and endocannabinoids during pregnancy, supporting its utility as a non-invasive monitoring tool.</p>","PeriodicalId":14905,"journal":{"name":"Journal of analytical toxicology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148669380","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Artificial intelligence: some fundamentals to know its place and potential in forensic toxicology.","authors":"Brigitte Desharnais, Tyler Devincenzi","doi":"10.1093/jat/bkag063","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jat/bkag063","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":14905,"journal":{"name":"Journal of analytical toxicology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148455738","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}