Development of an innovative analytical method for forensic detection of cocaine, antidepressants, and metabolites in postmortem blood using magnetic nanoparticles.

Cocaine and antidepressants rank high globally in substance consumption, emphasizing their impact on public health. The determination of these compounds and related substances in biological samples is crucial for forensic toxicology. This study focused on developing an innovative analytical method for the determination of cocaine, antidepressants, and their related metabolites in postmortem blood samples, using unmodified commercial Fe3O4 nanoparticles as a sorbent for dispersive magnetic solid-phase extraction (m-d-SPE), coupled with liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. An aliquot of 100 µL of whole blood and 5 µL of the internal standard pool were added to 30 mg of nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were separated from the sample using a neodymium magnet inserted into a 3D-printed microtube rack. The liquid was then discarded, followed by desorption with 300 µL of 1/1/1 acetonitrile/methanol/ethyl acetate. The sample was vortexed and separated, and 1.5 µL of the organic supernatant was injected into the LC-MS/MS. The method was acceptably validated and successfully applied to 263 postmortem blood samples. All samples evaluated in this study were positive for at least one substance. The most frequent analyte was benzoylecgonine, followed by cocaine and cocaethylene. The most common antidepressants encountered in the analyzed samples were citalopram and fluoxetine, followed by fluoxetine's metabolite norfluoxetine. This study describes the first report of this sorbent in postmortem blood analysis, demonstrating satisfactory results for linearity, precision, accuracy, and selectivity for all compounds. The method's applicability was confirmed, establishing it as an efficient and sustainable alternative to traditional techniques for forensic casework.

Reliability of roadside oral fluid testing devices for ∆9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (∆9 -THC) detection.

Driving under the influence of cannabis (DUIC) is increasing worldwide, and cannabis is the most prevalent drug after alcohol in impaired driving cases, emphasizing the need for a reliable traffic enforcement strategy. ∆9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) detection in oral fluid has great potential for identifying recent cannabis use; however, additional data are needed on the sensitivities, specificities, and efficiencies of different oral fluid devices for detecting cannabinoids at the roadside by police during routine traffic safety enforcement efforts. At the roadside, 8945 oral fluid THC screening tests were performed with four devices: AquilaScan®, Dräger DrugTest®, WipeAlyser Reader®, and Druglizer®. A total of 530 samples screened positive for THC (5.9%) and were analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry at multiple cutoff concentrations (2 ng/mL, 10 ng/mL, and manufacturers' recommended device cutoffs) to investigate device performance. Results varied substantially, with sensitivities of 0%-96.8%, specificities of 89.8%-98.5%, and efficiencies of 84.3%-97.8%. The Dräger DrugTest® outperformed the other devices with a 96.8% sensitivity, 97.1% specificity, and 97.0% efficiency at a 5-ng/mL LC-MS/MS confirmation cutoff. The WipeAlyser Reader® had good performance with a 91.4% sensitivity, 97.2% specificity, and 96.4% efficiency. AquilaScan® and Druglizer® had unacceptable performance for cannabinoid detection, highlighted by sensitivity <13%. The choice of roadside oral fluid testing device must offer good analytical performance for cannabinoids because of its high prevalence of use and impact on road safety.

A new approach with dried plasma spots: a rapid determination of antidepressants and antipsychotics by fast GC-MS.

Background: The increasing prevalence of poisoning cases related to antidepressants and antipsychotics has raised concerns. Methods: To address this issue, a new adaptation of the dried plasma spot technique was developed using a 24-well plate and fast gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The method involves the optimization of extraction variables and sample preparation, and was successfully validated. Results: The limits of quantitation ranged from 20 to 60 ng/ml, and accuracy ranged from 87.8% to 112.2%. The technique was applied to 102 human plasma samples from suspected poisoning cases, with positivity of 90.2%. Conclusion: This method provides a cheap, easy to implement and fast approach, making it ideal for toxicological emergency laboratories and promoting valuable support for healthcare professionals managing poisoning cases involving antidepressants and antipsychotics.

A multi-analyte LC-MS/MS method for the determination of 57 pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs in plasma, and its application to poisoning cases.

The diagnostic methods in an emergency scenario must be simple, fast, and efficient to provide an effectiveness and efficient treatment, thus reducing the consequences of exposure. Considering the sample analysis, the protein precipitation combined with LC-MS/MS has been shown to be a good strategy for the simultaneous determination of compounds of toxicological interest, such as medicines and drugs of abuse. In this study, a rapid and simple multi-analyte method was developed and validated for the quantification of 57 pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs in plasma samples. Sample pre-treatment consists of protein precipitation of 50 µL of the sample with 240 µL of organic solvent mixture (MeOH:ACN, 3:1, v/v), centrifugation, and injection into the LC-MS/MS, with a chromatographic run time of 7 min. The method was validated considering lower limit of quantification (LLOQ), interferences, linearity, precision, accuracy, dilution integrity, carryover, and matrix effect. The LLOQs ranged from 5 to 20 ng/mL and all analytes were linear (r2>0.99) in the tested concentration ranges. The method proved to be precise and accurate, presenting QC concentrations for all analytes within acceptable limits by the guideline used (CV % ≤20 % and bias ± 20 %). The developed method was successfully applied in 470 plasma samples of real cases of poisoning. A total of 80 % of the samples were positive for at least one substance, with acetaminophen (32.1 %), diazepam (25.1 %), and lidocaine (18.9 %) being the most detected. The most prevalent exposure circumstance among the cases was suicide attempt. The most frequent age groups were young adults between 20 and 29 years old and children under 5 years old. The methodology developed proved to be efficient in the simultaneous determination of 57 substances of toxicological interest, contributing to a correct diagnosis and, consequently, to the most appropriate management and treatment of the intoxicated patient. Furthermore, it is possible to observe the most commonly involved toxic agents in the Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil, helping to trace a profile of the poisoning patient, important in toxicovigilance actions.