Dual-color bioluminescent bioreporter for forensic analysis: evidence of androgenic and anti-androgenic activity of illicit drugs

2012 ◽  
Vol 405 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 1035-1045 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Cevenini ◽  
Elisa Michelini ◽  
Marcello D’Elia ◽  
Massimo Guardigli ◽  
Aldo Roda
Keyword(s):  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
Forensic Analysis ◽  
Dual Color ◽  
Androgenic Activity ◽  
Bioluminescent Bioreporter

scholarly journals Quantitative Measurements of Codeine and Fentanyl on a Surface-Enhanced Raman-Active Pad Test

Molecules ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (14) ◽  
pp. 2578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chetan Shende ◽  
Amelia Farquharson ◽  
Carl Brouillette ◽  
Wayne Smith ◽  
Stuart Farquharson
Keyword(s):  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy ◽  
Forensic Analysis ◽  
Airport Security ◽  
Preliminary Measurement ◽  
Gold Colloids ◽  
Surface Enhanced ◽  
Surface Enhanced Raman ◽  
The Usa

The USA is in the midst of an opioid crisis that included over 60,000 overdose fatalities in 2017, mostly unintentional. This is due to excessive use of prescription opioids and the use of very strong synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, mixed with illicit street drugs. The ability to rapidly determine if people or packages entering the country have or contain drugs could reduce their availability, and thereby decrease the use of illicit drugs. In an effort to address this problem, we have been investigating the ability of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy to detect trace amounts of opioids on clothing and packages. Here, we report the measurement of codeine and fentanyl at 100 ng/mL for 5 min on a pad impregnated with gold colloids, as well as a preliminary measurement of 500 pg of fentanyl on a glass surface using one of these pads. The calculated limit of detection for this measurement was 40 pg. This data strongly suggests that these pads, used with portable Raman analyzers, would be invaluable to airport security, drug raids, crime scenes, and forensic analysis.

scholarly journals MDMA electrochemical determination in aqueous media containing illicit drugs and validation of a voltammetric methodology

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-11
Author(s):  
Juliana Midori Toia Katayama ◽  
Erica Naomi Oiye ◽  
Maria Fernanda Muzetti Ribeiro ◽  
Antônio José Ipólito ◽  
José Fernando De Andrade ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Paste Electrode ◽  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Supporting Electrolyte ◽  
Electrochemical Techniques ◽  
Aqueous Media ◽  
Forensic Analysis ◽  
Electrochemical Determination ◽  
Carbon Paste ◽  
Paste Electrode

MDMA is the abbreviation for 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, which is commonly found in “ecstasy” pills. The psychoactive and euphoric effects that MDMA causes make this substance an illicit drug that is constantly seized by police forces. We describe a low-cost and fast voltammetric methodology that requires a carbon paste electrode (working electrode) in aqueous solution containing 0.1 mol L-1 LiClO4 as the supporting electrolyte. We conducted cyclic and square wave voltammetry and obtained limits of detection of 0.33 μg mL-1 and 0.36 μg mL-1, respectively, as others figures of merit for a complete validation. It includes the analysis main interfering substances, and results for seized samples were compared to those obtained by chromatography, which were close. An extended study of robustness were carried out by Youden’s test, that is inedited to electrochemical techniques when applied to forensic analysis. This test contributes to complete methodology validation and study of electrode cost and efficiency during electrochemical measurements involving a carbon paste electrode. In the end, this work presents a full validated methodology able to be applied in forensic laboratories.

scholarly journals Forensic Analysis of Illicit Drugs and Novel Psychoactive Substances in Wastewater: A review of Toxicological, Chemical and Microbiological Aspects

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduardo Campos ◽  
Elaine De Martinis ◽  
Bruno De Martinis
Keyword(s):  
Drug Use ◽  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
Drugs Of Abuse ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Forensic Analysis ◽  
Novel Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Main Concept ◽  
Analytical Strategy ◽  
Microbiological Aspects

Wastewater-based epidemiology has emerged as a new analytical strategy for monitoring licit and illicit drug use in a population by measuring the levels of biomarkers in wastewater. The main concept of this approach is that chemical substances ingested by the population will be excreted in urine and feces, which will be discarded into the sewage network and may accumulate at the wastewater treatment plant. Several licit and illicit substances such as ethanol, nicotine, cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine and morphine have been investigated and reported in wastewater in worldwide. In recent years, this approach has also been explored for environmental monitoring of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) as well, since analyses of wastewater represent a fast and cost-effective way to evaluate collectively drug intake in a given population served by a sewage network. In this paper, a comprehensive and interdisciplinary review of the forensic, toxicological, chemical and microbiological aspects of the analysis of “traditional” drugs of abuse and NPS in wastewater and examples of applications reported in recently published papers is provided. Wastewater analysis is a very promising strategy in monitoring drug use in the context of Forensic Chemistry and Toxicology, and has been implemented by many researchers in the analysis of drugs of abuse, as supported by many recent literature reports.

scholarly journals Neuropsychiatric pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs in wastewater treatment plants: a review

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandros G. Asimakopoulos ◽  
Kurunthachalam Kannan
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
Illicit Drug ◽  
Environmental Chemistry ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Forensic Analysis ◽  
Drug Consumption ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Drug Usage ◽  
Drug Epidemiology

Environmental contextNeuropsychiatric pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs in wastewaters are of increasing environmental concern. We compile the recent literature and evaluate the concentrations and profiles of various drugs and their removal efficiencies in wastewater treatment plants. The sewage epidemiology approach, used in the estimation of drug usage in communities, is discussed, and we make recommendations for future research in this area. AbstractNeuropsychiatric pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs encompass a broad range of compounds including opioids, amphetamine-type stimulants, cannabinoids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, antipsychotics, anaesthetics, anti-epileptics and mood stabilisers, lysergic compounds, sympathomimetic amines and cocaine derivatives. In this article, we review studies on the occurrence and fate of these drugs in wastewater treatment plants. In general, among various drugs studied, the concentrations and detection frequencies of opioids and cocaine derivatives were the highest in wastewaters. The forensic analysis of wastewaters suggests that cocaine and opioids usage has increased. Given the fact that data on drug usage can be used for making regulatory decisions and policies, this review focuses on understanding the sources and environmental dynamics of neuropsychiatric and illicit drugs. There is a pressing need for more research on the magnitude and extent of illicit drug consumption. The ‘sewage epidemiology’ approach, currently applied in the estimation of illicit drug consumption in communities, is reviewed. The field of wastewater research has been advancing in multipronged paths, incorporating concepts in analytical chemistry, organic chemistry, environmental chemistry, biochemistry, sewage engineering, drug epidemiology and statistics. Future prospects with regard to the occurrence and environmental fate of illicit and psychoactive drugs are recommended.

scholarly journals Development and validation of a LC-ESI-MS/MS method for simultaneous whole blood analysis of 51 new psychoactive substances

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 36-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Cristina Franck ◽  
Maristela Goldnadel Monteiro ◽  
Renata Pereira Limberger
Keyword(s):  
Matrix Effect ◽  
Whole Blood ◽  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Synthetic Cannabinoids ◽  
Forensic Analysis ◽  
Blood Analysis ◽  
New Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Esi Ms ◽  
Validation Parameters

In recent years, there has been a great increase in seizures and forensic analysis of new psychotropic substances (NPS) in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The analysis of these compounds needs to be performed in biological samples in cases of violent deaths. A sensitive and reliable liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization interface (LC-ESI-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for qualitative analysis of 51 NPS in whole blood forensic samples. Synthetic cathinones, phenethylamines, opioids, tryptamines, synthetic cannabinoids, and other hallucinogens and stimulants were included in the method. The validation parameters assessed were specificity, limit of detection, retention time precision, and matrix effect. Drug free pools (n=6) were used for validation, including post mortem samples as well as from living individuals. Adulterants, pharmaceuticals, metabolites, and other illicit drugs, totalling 39 compounds, were analyzed and no interference was noticed. The detection limits obtained were suitable for evaluation at recreational and non-fatal levels of consumption, mostly. The results revealed an appropriate matrix effect in 24 out of 51 substances tested, indicating the potential for future quantitative analysis with this method for these drugs. The developed and validated method is easy to implement, fast, with low cost, and suitable for use in routine forensic toxicology laboratory analysis.

GC-MS – Still standing for clinical and forensic analysis: validation of a multidrug method to detect and quantify illicit drugs

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Ana Beatriz Ferreira ◽  
André Lobo Castro ◽  
Sónia Tarelho ◽  
Pedro Domingues ◽  
João Miguel Franco
Keyword(s):  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
Forensic Analysis

Forensic applications of IR infrared microscopic internal reflection spectroscopy

1992 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 1528-1529
Author(s):  
Edward G. Bartick ◽  
John A. Reffner
Keyword(s):  
Specular Reflection ◽  
Forensic Analysis ◽  
Attenuated Total Reflection ◽  
Internal Reflection ◽  
Standard Size ◽  
Ir Microscopy ◽  
Ir Analysis ◽  
Plastic Explosives ◽  
Internal Reflection Spectroscopy ◽  
Reflectance Measurements

Since the introduction of commercial Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microscopic systems in 1983, IR microscopy has developed as an important analytical tool in research, industry and forensic analysis. Because of the frequent encounter of small quantities of physical evidence found at crime scenes, spectroscopic IR microscopes have proven particularly valuable for forensic applications. Transmittance and reflectance measurements have proven very useful. Reflection-absorption, specular reflection, and diffuse reflection have all been applied. However, it has been only very recently that an internal reflection (IRS) objective has been commercially introduced.The IRS method, also known as attenuated total reflection (ATR), has proven very useful for IR analysis of standard size samples. The method has been applied to adhesive tapes, plastic explosives, and general applications in the analysis of opaque materials found as evidence. The small quantities or uncontaminated areas of specimens frequently found requiring forensic analysis will often be directly applicable to microscopic IRS analysis.

Emergency Department Admission and Mortality Rate for Suicidal Behavior

Crisis ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 406-414 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raimondo Maria Pavarin ◽  
Angelo Fioritti ◽  
Francesca Fontana ◽  
Silvia Marani ◽  
Alessandra Paparelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Metropolitan Area ◽  
Suicidal Behavior ◽  
Mortality Risk ◽  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
Attempted Suicide ◽  
Cox Model ◽  
Emergency Department Admission ◽  
Completed Suicide

Background: The international literature reports that for every completed suicide there are between 8 and 22 visits to an Emergency Department (ED) for attempted suicide/suicidal behavior. Aims: To describe the characteristics of admission to emergency departments (EDs) for suicide-related presenting complaints in the metropolitan area of Bologna; to estimate the risk for all-cause mortality and for suicide; to identify the profiles of subjects most at risk. Method: Follow-up of patients admitted to the EDs of the metropolitan area of Bologna between January 2004 and December 2010 for attempted suicide. A Cox model was used to evaluate the association between sociodemographic variables and the general mortality risk. Results: We identified 505 cases of attempted suicide, which were more frequent for female subjects, over the weekend, and at night (8:00 p.m./8:00 a.m.). The most used suicide methods were psychotropic drugs, sharp or blunt objects, and jumping from high places. In this cohort, 3.6% of subjects completed suicide (4.5% of males vs. 2.9% of females), 2.3% within 1 year of the start of follow-up. The most common causes of death were drug use and hanging. In the multivariate analysis, those who used illicit drugs 24 hr prior to admission to the ED (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.46, 95% CI = 1.23–9.73) and patients who refused the treatment (HR = 6.74, 95% CI = 1.86–24.40) showed an increased mortality risk for suicide. Conclusion: Deliberate self-harm patients presenting to the ED who refuse treatment represent a specific target group for setting up dedicated prevention schemes.

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