scholarly journals Hair testing for 3-fluorofentanyl, furanylfentanyl, methoxyacetylfentanyl, carfentanil, acetylfentanyl and fentanyl by LC–MS/MS after unintentional overdose

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 277-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Islam Amine Larabi ◽  
Marie Martin ◽  
Nicolas Fabresse ◽  
Isabelle Etting ◽  
Yve Edel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drugs Of Abuse ◽  
Hair Analysis ◽  
Methadone Treatment ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Repetitive Exposure ◽  
Hair Samples ◽  
Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass ◽  
Exposure Pattern ◽  
Hair Testing ◽  
Urine Testing

Abstract Purpose To demonstrate the usefulness of hair testing to determine exposure pattern to fentanyls. Methods A 43-year-old male was found unconscious with respiratory depression 15 min after snorting 3 mg of a powder labeled as butyrylfentanyl. He was discharged from hospital within 2 days without blood or urine testing. Two locks of hair were sampled 1 month (M1 A: 0–2 cm (overdose time frame); B: 2–4 cm; C: 4–6 cm) and 1 year (Y1: A: 0–2 cm; B: 2–4 cm) later to monitor his exposure to drugs of abuse by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry after liquid-liquid extraction. Results Hair analysis at M1 showed a repetitive exposure to 3-fluorofentanyl (A/B/C: 150/80/60 pg/mg) with higher concentration in segment A reflecting the overdose period. The non-detection of butyrylfentanyl was consistent with the analysis of the recovered powder identified as 3-fluorofentanyl. Furanylfentanyl (40/20/15 pg/mg) and fentanyl (37/25/3 pg/mg) were also detected in hair. The second hair analysis at Y1 showed the use of three new fentanyls, with probably repetitive exposures to methoxyacetylfentanyl (A/B: 500/600 pg/mg), and single or few exposures to carfentanil (2.5/3 pg/mg) and acetyl fentanyl (1/1 pg/mg). A decreasing exposure to 3-fluorofentanyl (25/80 pg/mg), and increasing consumption of furanylfentanyl (310/500 pg/mg) and fentanyl (620/760 pg/mg) were also observed despite methadone treatment initiation. The patient claimed not consuming three out of the six detected fentanyls. Conclusions We report single or repetitive exposure to several fentanyls using hair testing. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of 3-fluorofentanyl and methoxyacetylfentanyl in hair samples collected from an authentic abuser.

Hair as a Biological Indicator of Drug Use, Drug Abuse or Chronic Exposure to Environmental Toxicants

2006 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 143-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vassiliki A. Boumba ◽  
Kallirroe S. Ziavrou ◽  
Theodore Vougiouklakis
Keyword(s):  
Drug Use ◽  
Chronic Exposure ◽  
Drug Testing ◽  
Drugs Of Abuse ◽  
Hair Analysis ◽  
Clinical Chemistry ◽  
Biological Indicator ◽  
Environmental Toxicants ◽  
Hair Samples ◽  
Hair Testing

In recent years hair has become a fundamental biological specimen, alternative to the usual samples blood and urine, for drug testing in the fields of forensic toxicology, clinical toxicology and clinical chemistry. Moreover, hair-testing is now extensively used in workplace testing, as well as, on legal cases, historical research etc. This article reviews methodological and practical issues related to the application of hair as a biological indicator of drug use/abuse or of chronic exposure to environmental toxicants. Hair structure and the mechanisms of drug incorporation into it are commented. The usual preparation and extraction methods as well as the analytical techniques of hair samples are presented and commented on. The outcomes of hair analysis have been reviewed for the following categories: drugs of abuse (opiates, cocaine and related, amphetamines, cannabinoids), benzodiazepines, prescribed drugs, pesticides and organic pollutants, doping agents and other drugs or substances. Finally, the specific purpose of the hair testing is discussed along with the interpretation of hair analysis results regarding the limitations of the applied procedures.

A Retrospective of Prevalence of Drugs of Abuse by Hair Analysis in Shanghai using LC–MS-MS

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (5) ◽  
pp. 482-489 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Wang ◽  
Jingjing Cui ◽  
Yue Zhuo ◽  
Baohua Shen ◽  
Sujing Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Abuse ◽  
Drugs Of Abuse ◽  
Hair Analysis ◽  
Scientific Basis ◽  
Drug Abuse Prevention ◽  
Toxicological Profile ◽  
Hair Samples ◽  
Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass ◽  
Abused Drugs ◽  
Male Subjects

Abstract This study presents a retrospective analysis of the prevalence of drug abuse in Shanghai by hair analysis. Files and toxicology analysis results of a total of 5,610 cases requesting for hair analysis of abused drugs at the Academy of Forensic Science (AFS) in Shanghai over 12 months between August 2018 and July 2019 were reviewed. All cases of drug abuse identified by hair analysis were from the public security organs in Shanghai, China. Hair samples were analyzed for drugs of abuse and related metabolites, mainly including amphetamine (AMP), methamphetamine (MA), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), ketamine (K), norketamine (NK), cocaine (COC), benzoylecgonine, morphine, 6-acetylmorphine, flunitrazepam, and 5-methoxy-N,N-diisopropyltryptamine (5-MeO-DIPT), using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS-MS). Among the 5,610 cases, 1,713 (30.5%) were positive for drugs of abuse, with amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) (57%), including amphetamines (AMP and MA) (48%), MDMA and MDA (9%), being the most frequently detected drugs, followed by THC (14%), COC (8%), 5-MeO-DIPT (8%), and K (7%). The majority (75%) of positive hair samples were from male subjects. Overall, 77% of abusers were younger than 44 years old. The proportion of female subjects (22.3%) under 24 years was larger than that of male subjects (7.8%). There were 132 cases (7.7%) in which more than one type of drug was detected among 1,713 drug-positive cases. The most common combination was MDMA and K. The present study characterizes the current toxicological profile of drug abuse cases and provides a scientific basis for drug abuse prevention. Moreover, the hair concentration distributions of the commonly abused drugs in positive cases have been reported.

Long-Term Detection in Hair of Zolpidem, Oxazepam and Flunitrazepam in a Case of Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Carfora ◽  
Carlo Pietro Campobasso ◽  
Paola Cassandro ◽  
Raffaella Petrella ◽  
Renata Borriello
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Drugs Of Abuse ◽  
Forensic Toxicology ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Hair Shaft ◽  
Urine Samples ◽  
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass ◽  
Hair Testing

Abstract Drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) cases are pretty common in forensic toxicology. In this case report, a 56-year-old female tourist claimed to have been sexually assaulted by five men after having had a drug-spiked alcoholic drink. Urine samples were collected at 38, 44 and 45 h after the alleged rape. After 7 months, hair strands (28 cm in length) were also sampled to perform the segmental hair testing. The urine samples and decontaminated hair segments were tested for different groups of basic, acidic and neutral substances (γ-hydroxybutyrate or GHB, Z-drugs, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, hypnotics, antipsychotics and drugs of abuse). Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry methods were applied for the qualitative and quantitative analyses. Toxicological analyses performed on the urine samples showed inconclusive findings. Zolpidem, flunitrazepam and oxazepam were detected in the hair segments corresponding to the time frame of the alleged assault. The endogenous levels of GHB were detected along the hair shaft. No drugs were detected in the proximal and distal hair segments or in washing solutions. This DFSA case demonstrated that the segmental toxicological analysis of hair, even when performed 7 months after the sexual assault, can provide evidence consistent with a single exposure to psychoactive drugs, at the time of the offense.

scholarly journals Significance of Metabolite Ratios in the Interpretation of Segmental Hair Testing Results—Differentiation of Single from Chronic Morphine Use in a Case Series

Metabolites ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 557
Author(s):  
Milena M. Madry ◽  
Sandra N. Poetzsch ◽  
Andrea E. Steuer ◽  
Thomas Kraemer ◽  
Markus R. Baumgartner
Keyword(s):  
Hair Analysis ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Wash Water ◽  
Fatal Intoxication ◽  
Short Hair ◽  
Chronic Morphine ◽  
Hair Samples ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Hair Testing ◽  
Chronic Use

In morphine intoxication cases, forensic toxicologists are frequently confronted with the question of if the individual was opioid-tolerant or opioid-naïve, which can be investigated by hair analysis. However, interpretation of results can be challenging. Here, we report on hair testing for morphine and its metabolite hydromorphone following morphine intoxication without tolerance and upon chronic use. Two consecutive hair samples were collected after a non-fatal intoxication. Analysis comprised short hair segments and their initial wash water solutions. In the intoxications, morphine and hydromorphone levels were 3.3 to 56 pg/mg and at maximum 9.8 pg/mg, respectively. Both levels and hydromorphone to morphine ratios were significantly lower compared to chronic morphine use. In the non-fatal intoxication, the highest hydromorphone to morphine ratio was obtained in the segment corresponding to the time of intoxication. Morphine ratios of wash to hair were significantly higher in the intoxications compared to chronic use, being indicative of sweat/sebum contamination. We recommend including the analysis of hydromorphone and the initial wash solution in cases of morphine intoxications. Our study demonstrates that hydromorphone to morphine ratios can help in distinguishing single from chronic morphine use and in estimating the period of exposure when a consecutive hair sample can be collected in survived intoxications.

Analysis of Cocaine and Its Metabolites in Urine after Consumption of Coca Tea by Five Subjects and Subsequent Hair Testing

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emilie Feisthauer ◽  
Alice Ameline ◽  
Laurie Gheddar ◽  
Nadia Arbouche ◽  
Jean-Sébastien Raul ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Hair Analysis ◽  
Tandem Mass ◽  
Alkaline Extraction ◽  
Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass ◽  
Urine Concentrations ◽  
Medicinal Properties ◽  
Hair Testing ◽  
Legal Consequences ◽  
Urine Specimens

Abstract Coca tea is a popular drink in some countries of South America where it is reputed to have medicinal properties. This preparation is composed of natural cocaine (COC) alkaloids and therefore can be banned in some countries. During an anti-doping control in Peru, the urine of an athlete was tested positive for benzoylecgonine (BZE), ecgonine methyl ester (EME) and COC (400, 180 and 0.5 ng/mL, respectively). The athlete indicated that she had consumed coca tea in the morning before the competition. As her lawyer contacted us to assess the scientific aspects of the possible involvement of coca tea to explain the adverse analytical finding, a study was implemented with similar tea bags. Five volunteers from the laboratory consumed 250 mL of coca tea containing approximately 3.8 mg of COC. Eleven urine specimens were collected for each subject for 3 days to follow the elimination of COC and metabolites (BZE and EME). All samples were analyzed by UHPLC-MS/MS (Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography - tandem mass spectrometer) after alkaline extraction. Maximum detection times for COC was 20 h, with concentrations ranging from 6 to 91 ng/mL. Maximum detection times for BZE and EME were 70 h and 60 h, respectively, with concentrations ranging from 6 to 3,730 ng/mL and from 6 to 1,738 ng/mL. The concentration profiles were identical for the five volunteers. This study supports the athlete’s claims. In addition, the sample of hair strands of the five subjects was collected a month later and all the hair tests showed a negative result for COC with a limit of decision of 10 pg/mg. Although it is accepted that a 4-mg dose of COC has no significant pharmacological effect, the consummation of coca tea can lead to significant legal consequences since the measured urine concentrations sometimes cannot be considered incidental. Therefore, discrimination between coca tea consummation and recreational COC abuse relies primarily on hair analysis.

Sectional hair testing. Judicial and clinical applications

2000 ◽  
Vol 72 (6) ◽  
pp. 1057-1066 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aristidis M. Tsatsakis ◽  
Manolis Tzatzarakis
Keyword(s):  
Drug Exposure ◽  
Drugs Of Abuse ◽  
Hair Analysis ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Great Sensitivity ◽  
Hair Color ◽  
Scientific Validity ◽  
Acid Therapy ◽  
Long Term Treatment ◽  
Hair Testing

Modern sophisticated analytical tools have enabled toxicologists to investigate hair specimens for the presence of drugs. Although great sensitivity and specificity in hair analysis have been already achieved, some concerns about bias due to hair color, lack of reference materials, and dose versus concentration relationship make the quantitative data sometimes debatable. The most commonly held opinion in this field nowadays indicates that hair analysis has sufficient scientific validity. Experts should always be aware and take into account limitations of hair analysis results and its evaluation. Unresolved scientific issues, however, should not obstruct the admissibility of strongly positive test results. Recent applications of hair testing include forensic investigations, epidemiological studies, gestational drug exposure, legal issues, clinical drug monitoring, and historical research. In this paper, the use of sectional hair tests to assess exposure to drugs of abuse (evaluation of toxicomania) and to assess compliance with carbamazepine, phenytoin and valproic acid therapy regime is presented. We conclude that hair drug versus time profiles give strong evidence that confirm chronic abuse, the diagnosis of drugs of abuse poisoning, and the state of addiction (toxicomania). Additionally, they may be used as a marker of the dosage history and the compliance of patients under long-term treatment with carbamazepine and phenytoin.

Testing for Drugs: Bathrooms or Barbershops?

1995 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 467-474
Author(s):  
Jerry G. Stevenson ◽  
Roger Williamson
Keyword(s):  
Drug Use ◽  
Hair Analysis ◽  
State Governments ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Bodily Fluids ◽  
Fortune 500 Companies ◽  
Private Organizations ◽  
Hair Samples ◽  
Hair Testing

In an attempt to establish drug free work environments, an increasing number of public and private organizations are using some form of drug test. The most common method is urinalysis. However, in recent years, the chemical analysis of hair samples has emerged as an alternative. Hair analysis is more effective than urinalysis in identifying long-term drug use, and is less intrusive than the testing of bodily fluids. But there are disadvantages associated with hair testing: it is expensive, and cannot detect immediate impairment from drug use or recent drug use. Nor do researchers know whether environmental exposure to drugs will affect hair analysis tests. Only five percent of Fortune 500 companies and less than one percent of state governments currently allow the use of hair analysis to screen for drugs.

scholarly journals Cheating on forensic hair testing? Detection of potential biomarkers for cosmetically altered hair samples using untargeted hair metabolomics

The Analyst ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 145 (20) ◽  
pp. 6586-6599 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Eisenbeiss ◽  
Tina M. Binz ◽  
Markus R. Baumgartner ◽  
Thomas Kraemer ◽  
Andrea E. Steuer
Keyword(s):  
Hair Analysis ◽  
Alcohol Abstinence ◽  
Hair Samples ◽  
Hair Testing ◽  
Potential Biomarkers

Hair analysis has become an integral part in forensic toxicological laboratories for e.g. assessment of drug or alcohol abstinence.

Toxicological hair analysis: Pre-analytical, analytical and interpretive aspects

2018 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 137-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Himanshu Khajuria ◽  
Biswa Prakash Nayak ◽  
Ashish Badiye
Keyword(s):  
Drugs Of Abuse ◽  
Hair Analysis ◽  
Forensic Toxicology ◽  
Analytical Techniques ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Drug Binding ◽  
Drug Detection ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Drug Incorporation

Background and aims Hair analysis for drug detection is one of the widely accepted imperative techniques in the field of forensic toxicology. The current study was designed to investigate the efficacy of chromatography for detection of drugs of abuse in hair. Method A comprehensive review of articles from last two decades on hair analyses via PubMed and similar resources was performed. Issues concerning collection, decontamination and analytical techniques are summarised. Physiochemical nature of hair, mechanism of drug incorporation and its stability in hair are briefly discussed. Furthermore, various factors affecting results and interpretation are elucidated. Result A hair sample is chosen over traditional biological samples such blood, urine, saliva or tissues due to its inimitable ability to provide a longer time frame for drug detection. Its collection is almost non-invasive, less cumbersome and does not involve any specialised training/expertise. Recent advances in analytical technology have resulted in better sensitivity, reproducibility and accuracy, thus providing a new arena of scientific understanding and test interpretation. Conclusion Though recent studies have yielded many insights into drug binding and drug incorporation in hair, the major challenge in hair analysis lies in the interpretation of results, which may be affected by external contamination and thus lead to false-positives. Therefore, there is a need for more sensitive and selective analysis methods to be developed in order to minimise factors that induce the effect of melanin, age and so on, and this would certainly provide a new dimension to hair analysis and its applications.

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