Urgent first-step screening method for ketamine, phenobarbital, zopiclone, zolpidem, phenytoin and thiopental in adulterated soft drink.

ABSTRACT

Date-rape drugs given to victims through drinks without their knowledge in drug-facilitated sexual assaults and thefts (money, property and body organs), are important threats for the public. Detection in beverage residues gains importance, since some of them can be quickly eliminated from the body, till the victim understands what he/she has experienced, goes to the hospital and gives a urine sample for analysis. Here, date-rape drugs; ketamine, thiopental, phenobarbital, zolpidem, phenytoin and zopiclone were analyzed simultaneously in 1.00mL caffeine-based carbonated beverage residue, through direct injection, using a modified, economical emergency first-step screening method with high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (elution time 11 minutes). Screening power of the method was qualitatively observed in sour cherry juice, sweet soda and beer with some additional experiments. Caffeine in caffeine-based carbonated beverage could also be detected simultaneously. LODs and LOQs were between 0.02-1.79 and 0.08-5.60µgmL-1. Repeatability and reproducibility values were <9.91%. HorRat values were between 0.184-0.500. As the first screening and quantitative study on the simultaneous analysis of these drugs in a beverage, it's important for solving the crimes committed using drugs in caffeine-based carbonated beverage residues found at the crime scene, when the use of these drugs is suspected after anamnesis and inspection.