Fluorine-18 labeling PEGylated 6-boronotryptophan for PET scanning of mice for assessing the pharmacokinetics for boron neutron capture therapy of brain tumors.

Two tryptophan compound classes 5- and 6-borono PEGylated boronotryptophan derivatives have been prepared for assessing their aqueous solubility as formulation of injections for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). The PEGylation has improved their aqueous solubility thereby increasing their test concentration in 1 mM without suffering from toxicity. In-vitro uptake assay of PEGylated 5- and 6-boronotryptophan showed that the B-10 concentration can reach 15-50 ppm in U87 cell whereas the uptake in LN229 cell varies. Shorter PEG compound 6-boronotryptophanPEG200[18F] was obtained in 1.7 % radiochemical yield and the PET-derived radioradioactivity percentage in 18 % was taken up by U87 tumor at the limb of xenograft mouse. As high as tumor to normal uptake ratio in 170 (T/N) was obtained while an inferior radioactivity uptake of 3 % and T/N of 8 was observed in LN229 xenografted mouse.

[Analysis on the impact of composting with different proportions of corn stalks and pig manure on humic acid fractions and IR spectral feature].

Using pig manure and corn straw as raw materials for high-temperature composting, setting three different treat- ments: C/N 15, C/N 25, and C/N 35. Composting period is 120 days, which contains 30 days for ventilation cycle by forced continuous ventilation. Sampled on 0, 22, 30, 60, 90, 120th days, they were analyzed by elemental analysis and IR spectroscopy to study effect of different lignin content on compost humic acid (HA) composition and molecular structure. The results showed that the change in composting humic acid C focused on the first 30 days, while after composting, the O/C of compost HA increased, H/C decreased, and N content increased. Low C/N (15) and higher C/N ratio (35) had higher degree of oxidation than the C/N 25 in compost HA. FTIR indicated that the infrared spectrum shapes with different lignin content treatment are similar during the composting process, but the peak intensity is obviously different. Research results proved that the composting stage is more conducive to enhanced aromatic in compost HA. After composting, C/N 15 had less polysaccharide and fat ingredients and more aromatic structural components in compost HA, compared with C/N 25 and 35. In addition, compost HA of C/N 15 had higher degree of humification and its structure was more stable.

Microplastics in the human body: A comprehensive review of exposure, distribution, migration mechanisms, and toxicity.

Microplastics (MPs) are pervasive across ecosystems, presenting substantial risks to human health. Developing a comprehensive review of MPs is crucial due to the growing evidence of their widespread presence and potential harmful effects. Despite the growth in research, considerable uncertainties persist regarding their transport dynamics, prevalence, toxicological impacts, and the potential long-term health effects they may cause. This review thoroughly evaluates recent advancements in research on MPs and their implications for human health, including estimations of human exposure through ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact. It also quantifies the distribution and accumulation of MPs in various organs and tissues. The review discusses the mechanisms enabling MPs to cross biological barriers and the role of particle size in their translocation. To ensure methodological rigor, this review adheres to the PRISMA guidelines, explicitly detailing the literature search strategy, inclusion criteria, and the quality assessment of selected studies. The review concludes that MPs pose significant toxicological risks, identifies critical gaps in current knowledge, and recommends future research directions to elucidate the prolonged effects of MPs on human health. This work aims to offer a scientific framework for mitigating MP-related hazards and establishes a foundation for ongoing investigation.

Magnetic solid-phase extraction based on polydopamine-coated magnetic nanoparticles for rapid and sensitive analysis of eleven illicit drugs and metabolites in wastewater with the aid of UHPLC-MS/MS.

The quantification of illicit drugs in wastewater has become a valuable tool for monitoring illicit drug abuse. The commonly utilized methods for detecting drugs in wastewater require a substantial sample volume, extended pretreatment durations, and intricate procedures. This study first employed polydopamine-coated magnetic nanocomposites as adsorbents for magnetic solid-phase extraction, combined with UPLC-MS/MS, to simultaneously determine the concentrations of eleven common illicit drugs in wastewater. The synthesis process for Fe3O4@PDA is straightforward and high-yield. Benefiting from the strong magnetic response, good dispersibility, and abundant binding sites of the prepared nanocomposites, the extraction of illicit drugs from wastewater could be achieved in just 15 min. The method exhibited satisfactory limits of quantitation (ranging from 5 to 10 ng/L), commendable accuracy (ranging from 90.59 % to 106.80 %), good precision (with RSDs below 10 %), and less sample consumption (only 1 mL). The efficacy of this method was successfully validated through its application to actual wastewater samples collected from ten wastewater treatment plants. The results indicated that morphine, codeine, methamphetamine, and ketamine were the predominant illicit drugs present in the samples. The method developed is able to meet the needs of common illicit drug monitoring and high-throughput analysis requirements.

Carbon fiber-sampling combined flame ionization mass spectrometry for direct analysis of drugs in oral fluid.

Drug-impaired driving poses a significant risk of collisions and other hazardous accidents, emphasizing the urgent need for simple and rapid roadside detection methods. Oral fluid, as an easily collectible and non-invasive test material, has gained widespread use in detecting drug-impaired driving. In this study, we have devised a method for direct sampling using a carbon fiber bundle combined with flame ionization mass spectrometry. The essence of this method lies in the synergy between the adsorption properties of carbon fiber and the plasma characteristics of the flame. Leveraging the strong adsorption capabilities of the carbon fiber bundle allows for the use of a minimal sample size (<100 µL) during sampling, presenting a distinct advantage in the roadside inspection and sampling process. Throughout the flame ionization process, proteins and salts within the oral fluid matrix adhere well to the carbon fiber bundle, while small molecule targets can be efficiently desorbed and react with charged species in the flame, leading to ionization. The results demonstrate the successful development of carbon fiber-sampling combined flame ionization mass spectrometry, capable of qualitative and quantitative analysis of drugs in oral fluid without the need for sample pre-treatment. Its quantitative capabilities are sufficient for real sample detection, providing an effective analytical method for the roadside detection of drugs in oral fluids.

Rapid and sensitive detection of etomidate based on functionalized copper nanoclusters fluorescent probe.

Etomidate as a non-barbiturate sedative, has central inhibitory effect and addiction and has been listed as a controlled drug in some countries due to the abusing trend nowadays. Therefore, rapid and sensitive detection of etomidate is of great significance. In this work, a novel fluorescent sensing probe (CuNCs@MIPs) based on copper nanoclusters (CuNCs) and molecular imprinted polymers (MIPs) has been firstly reported. CuNCs was environment-friendly synthesized using poly(vinylpyrrolidone) as a template and ascorbic acid as a reducing agent. After functionalized with molecular imprinting technique, the CuNCs@MIPs probe has special binding cavities on surface to target etomidate, causing the fluorescence intensity rapidly decrease, which confirmed it has excellent sensitivity, selectivity and stability. Under optimal conditions, the fluorescent sensing probe presented high precision linear relationship for etomidate in range of 10-500 ng/ml with detection limit of 10 ng/ml, and the whole detection process was completed within 10 min. This sensing method has also been applied to real samples detection, still demonstrated excellent feasibility in electronic cigarette liquids and urine. More importantly, compared with previous methods, this fluorescent sensing method has advantages such as rapid, simple and easy to operate. Collectively, the proposed CuNCs@MIPs sensing probe has good fluorescence characteristics and simple synthesis strategy, showed a great potential in etomidate detection and application.

[Human Accumulation and Toxic Effects of Microplastics：A Critical Review].

The effect of microplastics on the ecological environment and human health has become a topical issue， and research on the risks and harmful effects of MPs on human health in particular has attracted widespread attention. Due to the characteristics of small size， low degradability， and easy migration， MPs continuously migrate from the environment to the human body， and their main exposure pathways are oral ingestion， inhalation， and dermal contact， with the main exposure media being food， drinking water， dust， personal care products， etc. MPs have been detected in organs， fluids， and excreta of digestive， respiratory， cardiovascular， reproductive systems， etc. The abundance range of MPs in the human body is 0-1 206.94 particles per gram. After entering the human body， MPs can cause cytotoxicity， mitochondrial toxicity， DNA damage， cell membrane damage， and other effects on human cells and organs， leading to serious consequences such as local inflammation， ecological imbalance， metabolic disorders， etc.， in various systems. Owing to their small specific surface area， they can also adsorb pollutants such as heavy metals， organic pollutants， antibiotics， pathogens， and harmful microorganisms， causing combined toxicity and immunotoxicity. In the end， we highlighted general deficiencies in existing studies and provided directions for future research on the influence of MPs on human health.

Trace detection of methcathinone in sewage using targeted extraction based on magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Methcathinone, a new psychoactive substance (NPS), poses a serious threat to public health. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a reliable, selective, sensitive and simple analytical technique for monitoring trace amounts of this target NPS in complex matrices. For this purpose, magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (MMIPs) based on MIPs combined with nano-sized magnetic Fe3O4 were developed for the specific enrichment of methcathinone in wastewater. The binding properties and selectivity of MMIPs toward methcathinone were evaluated and compared with non-imprinted polymer (MNIPs). For sensitive and selective extraction and determination of the target methcathinone, magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) based on MMIPs was combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Under optimized conditions, the proposed method was successfully used for the detection of methcathinone in wastewater, which provided a low limit of detection of 0.3 ng L-1 and a limit of quantification of 1.0 ng L-1 with relative standard deviations of less than 6.89% for intra- and inter-day analyses. Good linearity in the range of 1-2000 ng L-1 with a coefficient of determination (R2) greater than 0.98 was observed. Moreover, a certified reference material of water sample was successfully analyzed with satisfactory results and the recoveries of spike experiments ranged from 96.35-116.7%.

Patient-related factors related to prolonged preparation-to-colonoscopy interval and insufficient purgative intake before colonoscopy: A post-hoc observational study.

OBJECTIVES: Prolonged preparation-to-colonoscopy (PC) interval and insufficient purgative intake (PI) are two important indicators for quality of bowel preparation for colonoscopy. We aimed to investigate patient-related factors associated with increased PC interval or insufficient PI. METHODS: The post-hoc regression analyses were performed using the data from two prospective studies (NCT04434625 and NCT04101097). Patients receiving reinforced instructions for bowel preparation were recruited. The co-primary outcomes included prolonged PC interval or insufficient PI. RESULTS: Altogether 1806 patients from five endoscopic centers underwent bowel preparation from September 2019 to March 2021. The cut-off values were 6 h for PC interval and 80% for PI. In all, 116 (6.4%) and 73 (4.0%) presented an extended PC interval and insufficient PI, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that a low education level was significantly associated with PC interval ≥6 h. Female sex, body mass index (BMI), and coronary artery disease (CAD) were found to be significantly correlated with insufficient PI in univariate analysis, while multivariate analysis demonstrated BMI <20 kg/m2 (odds ratio [OR] 4.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.92-8.94, P < 0.001) and 20-25 kg/m2 (OR 2.23, 95% CI 1.33-3.73, P = 0.002) and CAD (OR 3.23, 95% CI 1.22-8.53, P = 0.018) were identified as independent risk factors for PI <80%. CONCLUSIONS: In spite of reinforced education, a number of patients did not follow the instructions for bowel preparation. The factors for a prolonged PC interval did not overlap with those for insufficient PI. Individualized interference may be considered in different subpopulations.

Optimization of agarose-alginate hydrogel bead components for encapsulation and transportation of stem cells.

Hydrogels have potential uses in various biological applications because of their unique characteristics. Fine-tuning of agarose-alginate (Ag-Al) hydrogel components improves the mechanical characteristics of the final construct for cell encapsulation and transportation. Formulation of suitable dissolving agents may enable the release of encapsulated cells for further applications in laboratory or clinical settings. Objectives: This study aimed at optimizing the composition of Ag-Al hydrogel beads and their dissolving agents for potential use in the transportation of stem cells. Methods: Various agarose, alginate, and CaCl2 concentrations were tested to construct hydrogel beads. The degradation rate and swelling ratio of each hydrogel sample were recorded. The optimized Ag-Al hydrogels were used for encapsulation of stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED). Optimization of dissolving agents was performed and tested with the hydrogel-encapsulated cells. Data were statistically analyzed in SPSS. Results: The selected concentration of Ag-Al hydrogels components was successfully demonstrated to encapsulate SHED, which remained viable until day 10. An average of 2 min was required for degradation of the hydrogel with encapsulated SHED by a dissolving agent consisting of 100 mM sodium citrate and 100 mM EDTA. The cell viability of SHED released after day 10 of encapsulation was 29.1%. Conclusion: Alteration of Ag-Al components has considerable influence on the mechanical properties of the constructed hydrogel. The feasibility of performing the optimized cell encapsulation protocol, as well as the dissolving step, may provide a useful guide for the transportation of viable cells between countries, for medical research.

The oral bioaccessibility and gingival cytotoxicity of metal(loid)s in wild vegetables from mining areas: Implication for human oral health.

Background: Heavy metal(loid)s are frequently detected in vegetables posing potential human health risks, especially for those grown around mining areas. However, the oral bioaccessibility and gingival cytotoxicity of heavy metals in wild vegetables remain unclear. Methods: In this study, we assessed the total and bioaccessible Cr, As, Cd, Pb, and Ni in four wild vegetables from mining areas in Southwest China. In addition, the cytotoxicity and underlying mechanisms of vegetable saliva extracts on human gingival epithelial cells (HGEC) were studied. Results: The Plantago asiatica L. (PAL) showed the highest bioaccessible Cr, As, Cd, and Pb, while the greatest bioaccessible Ni was in Taraxacum mongolicum (TMM). The Pteridium aquilinum (PAM), Chenopodium album L. (CAL), and TMM extracts decreased cell viability, induced apoptosis, caused DNA damage, and disrupted associated gene expressions. However, PAL extracts which have the highest bioaccessible heavy metals did not present adverse effects on HGEC, which may be due to its inhibition of apoptosis by upregulating p53 and Bcl-2. Conclusion: Our results indicated that polluted vegetable intake caused toxic effects on human gingiva. The heavy metals in vegetables were not positively related to human health risks. Collectively, both bioaccessibility and toxic data should be considered for accurate risk assessment.

Rapid Characterization of Drugs in Biological Fluid and Seized Material Using Thermal-Assisted Carbon Fiber Ionization Mass Spectrometry.

Developing a rapid, simple, and sensitive method to analyze drugs is critical to forensic research study because of the widespread occurrence of the matrix effect. Herein, we develop a method using thermal-assisted carbon fiber ionization mass spectrometry that can be used to directly analyze drugs in biological fluid. The key feature of this technique is that the biological samples such as urine and blood can be achieved online as precipitated protein on the carbon fiber tip and thermally desorbed by the metal ceramics heater, which can reduce the matrix effects and improve the sensitivity. Analytes including raw urine, blood, oral fluid, drink, tobacco tar, drug tablets, and paper cards can be rapidly identified and analyzed within a few minutes regardless of their physical variations. Due to its simplicity and noninvasive analysis, this method can be used for drugged driving analysis and to achieve point-of-care drug testing in clinical and forensic chemistry.

[Biomaterials and vascular grafts].

The latest articles concerning the vascular grafts made of biomaterials were retrieved and the data on application of electrospun biopolymer in small diameter vascular tissue engineering scaffolds were comprehensively analyzed. The biomaterials, including natural vascular, decellularized scaffolds and biopolymer in the field of vascular grafts were studied. But natural vascular grafts and decellularized scaffolds can not meet the requirements of small diameter vascular graft because of inadequate sources and potential immunogenicity, respectively. The small diameter vascular scaffolds prepared by electrospinning of biopolymer can optimally simulate the blood vessel structure and properties, and hence can present a better approach to acquiring small diameter vascular tissue engineering scaffolds.

Efficiency and mechanisms of simultaneous removal of Microcystis aeruginosa and microcystins by electrochemical technology using activated carbon fiber/nickel foam as cathode material.

The significant removal efficiency of microcystis aeruginosa was presented using Pt/Ti anode and activated carbon fiber/nickel foam (ACF/Ni) cathode by addition of Fe2+ slightly in a wide range of initial pH (3-9). Results showed that about 93% of the Microcystis aeruginosa cells were removed within 15 min for Pt/Ti-ACF/Ni-Fe2+ system. Dosage of Fe2+, current density, and initial pH had remarkable effects on the removal efficiency of microcystis aeruginosa. The mechanism of algae removal in the Pt/Ti-ACF/Ni-Fe2+ electrochemical system was revealed by the comparison between Pt/Ti-ACF/Ni-Fe2+ process and classical Fenton process, the analysis on Microcystis aeruginosa and ACF/Ni by SEM, the specific surface area and pore size analysis of ACF, and the determination of UV254, OD620 and microcystin-LR (MC-LR). Results showed that the main mechanism of this system was the electro-Fenton process, which was accompanied by electro-adsorption, electro-floatation, and electro-coagulation process. And the cooperation mechanism on the electrochemical removal system was further speculated. With the breakdown of algal cells during the electrolysis, the MC-LR and other substances released from the cells were effectively degraded. Besides, the new cathode exhibited favorable and stable reusability. This study built up a high-efficiency algae removal system, which broke through the limits of narrow working pH range and large consumption of exogenous chemicals in electro-Fenton process.

Zolpidem and zolpidem phenyl-4-carboxylic acid pharmacokinetics in oral fluid after a single dose.

BACKGROUND: Oral fluid zolpidem detection in the settings of drug-facilitated crime and roadside drug testing indicates recent zolpidem intake. Zolpidem pharmacokinetics in classical biological matrices such as blood and urine have been described; however, reports of such data based on oral fluids are limited. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to describe the pharmacokinetics of zolpidem and its major metabolite zolpidem phenyl-4-carboxylic acid (ZPCA) in oral fluids after intake. METHODS: Ten milligrams of zolpidem tartrate tablets were orally administered to 14 volunteers, and oral fluid samples were collected at various times up to 72 hours and analyzed via liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with post-column reagent addition. RESULTS: Both zolpidem and ZPCA could be detected in oral fluid after 1 hour and were rapidly eliminated, with half-lives of 2.77 ± 0.71 hours and 5.11 ± 0.67 hours, respectively. Maximum zolpidem concentrations (36.73 ± 10.89 ng/mL) occurred at 2 ± 0.52 hours, and maximum ZPCA concentrations (0.28 ± 0.16 ng/mL) occurred at 2 ± 0.37 hours. Zolpidem/ZPCA ratios decreased after zolpidem intake, an observation that might be helpful for determining the time of drug use. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the measurement of zolpidem in oral fluid can be used for the non-invasive monitoring of zolpidem consumption and misuse in drug-facilitated crime and roadside drug testing settings.

Pharmacokinetics of selegiline, R-methamphetamine, R-amphetamine, and desmethylselegiline in oral fluid after a single oral administration of selegiline.

BACKGROUND: Chiral analysis is a crucial way to differentiate selegiline (SG) intake from drug abuse. Oral fluid (OF) has been successfully used as an alternative matrix for blood testing in several pharmacokinetic studies. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to describe the pharmacokinetics of SG and its main metabolites in OF after a single oral administration of SG which is meaningful for results interpretation in forensic analysis. METHODS: Ten milligrams of SG were orally administered to 8 volunteers, and OF samples were collected for up to 96 hours by having participants spit into polypropylene tubes without stimulation. These samples were submitted to liquid-liquid extraction before analysis by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry operating in positive ion multiple-reaction monitoring mode. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: After oral administration, each analyte could be detected in OF specimens from all volunteers with an initial detection time of 0.50 hours. The Cmax values of SG, R-MA, R-AM and DM-SG were 50.93-992.67 ng/mL, 29.78-653.64 ng/mL, 8.22-150.15 ng/mL, and 4.34-16.25 ng/mL, respectively, at 0.5 hours, 1-11 hours, 1.5-11 hours, and 0.5-6 hours post dose. The times when the compounds were last determined in OF were 5-24 hours for SG, 52-96 hours for R-MA, 31-96 hours for R-AM, and 13-31 hours for DM-SG after oral administration. There is a period of time in OF in which only MA and AM are present without SG and DM-SG after a single dose of SG. The pharmacokinetic data could provide supplementary interpretation for OF tests in forensic science and drug treatment programs.

Alcohol consumption or contamination: A preliminary study on the determination of the ethanol origin by stable carbon isotope analysis.

The origin of ethanol detected in bio-samples whether it be from the consumption of alcoholic beverages or contamination with disinfectants has been questioned in court cases in China recently. The stable carbon isotope naturally occurs in carbon-containing compounds and can help determine the origin of the compound in question. In total, 42 types of beers and 11 types of disinfectants were analyzed by gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Consumption and contamination experiments were carried out with 6 volunteers. The δ13C values of ethanol ranged from -29.51‰ to -18.36‰ for the beer samples, which reflected the botanical features of C3 plants or mixtures of C3 and C4 plants. The δ13C values of ethanol ranged from -17.7‰ to -14.4‰ for disinfectants, which reflected the different origins of ethanol in disinfectants from those in beer. The δ13C value did not change in vivo after being consumed within the time limit used in this study. These characteristics of the δ13C values will facilitate to interpret whether the ethanol detected in bio-samples originated from consumption or contamination.

LC-MS-MS with Post-Column Reagent Addition for the Determination of Zolpidem and its Metabolite Zolpidem Phenyl-4-carboxylic Acid in Oral Fluid after a Single Dose.

A rapid, selective and sensitive LC-MS-MS method with a post-column addition of acetonitrile was developed and fully validated for the quantitative determination of zolpidem and its major metabolite, zolpidem phenyl-4-carboxylic acid (ZPCA), in oral fluid. Preliminary sample treatment was limited to a simple dilution of 1 mL oral fluid specimen aliquots with methanol. Chromatography was performed on a Capcell Pak C18 MGII column (250 × 2.0 mm, 5 µm i.d., Shiseido, Tokyo, Japan) with isocratic elution using a water-acetonitrile mobile phase with 0.1% formic acid, 5% acetonitrile and 20 mM ammonium acetate in an aqueous phase at a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min. Acetonitrile was added post-column at a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min to enhance ionization of the analytes in the MS source. Detection was carried out on a QTrapTM 6500 mass spectrometer in positive ionization mode. Good linearities were generated over the range of 0.05-200 ng/mL for zolpidem and 0.1-200 ng/mL for ZPCA. Limit of detection for zolpidem and ZPCA were 0.01 ng/mL and 0.05 ng/mL, respectively, whereas LLOQs were 0.05 ng/mL and 0.1 ng/mL, respectively. This method meets the required criteria for bioanalytical analyses to be used for clinical and forensic purposes. Application of this method was demonstrated by testing authentic samples collected after a single oral dose to obtain insights into the general detectability and detection windows of zolpidem and ZPCA in oral fluid.

[Construction and identification of recombinant adenovirus containing the polyproteins coding regions of O type foot-and-mouth disease virus by homologous recombination in Escherichia coli].

The gene coding for the polyprotein (PP) of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV)was obtained by PCR from recombinant plasmid rpMD18-T/PP. The PCR product was digested with Xba I and Not I and inserted into the cloning site of the adenovirus shuttle vector pAdTrack-CMV, previously digested with the same enzymes. This recombinant shuttle plasmid was designated rpAd-CMV/PP. The recombinant adenovirus vector rpAd/PP was obtained by homologous recombination of plasmid rpAd-CMV/PP and adenovirus skeletal vector pAdeasy-1 in E. coli. Plasmid rpAd/PP was linearized by Pme I and transformed into 293 competent cells to pack the adenovirus using liposome mediated gene transfer method and, as a result, the recombinant adenovirus rAd/PP that contained the polyprotein coding gene was obtained. Obvious CPE could be observed under an inverted microscope, the green fluorescence protein expression can be detected under fluorescence microscope and the empty capsid of FMDV was observed under electron microscope. These results indicated that the recombinant adenovirus rAd/PP expressed the PP protein and that this protein could be assembled into the empty capsid of FMDV. The recombinant adenovirus obtained in this study can be used for further research for making FMDV recombinant adenovirus vaccine.

[Determination of opiates in biological human samples by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry].

OBJECTIVE: Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed for the determination of opiates in biological samples according to the emerging problem in drugs abuse. METHODS: Opiates such as heroin, 6-acetylmorphine, morphine, codeine, acetylcodeine, hydrocodone and hydromorphone were isolated from human blood, urine, oral fluid and hair using a simple extraction and consequently analyzed using LC-MS/MS. The method was evaluated by real cases. RESULTS: The mobile phase give the optimum separation for opiates. The detection limit of morphine in urine with dilution and liquid-liquid extraction and in hair is 10ng/mL, 0.01 ng/mL and 0.01 ng/mg, respectively. CONCLUSION: The method is simple and rapid, offering superior sensitivity and selectivity for opiates. The target compounds comprising hydrocodone and hydromorphone enlarge the applied area.