Forensic laboratory backlogs are replete with suspected drug samples. Shifting analysis toward the point of seizure would save significant time and public funds. Moreover, a two-tiered identification strategy for controlled substance testing that relies on two independent, discerning methods could entirely circumvent the need for forensic laboratory testing. To this end, we coupled Raman spectroscopy and paper spray ionization mass spectrometry (PSI-MS) on a single instrumental platform. Both methods are capable of ambient analysis with fieldable instruments, yet Raman is often limited to bulk analysis. Critical to this work is the development of a gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-embedded paper swab to extend the capability of Raman spectroscopy to trace evidence via surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Plasmonic papers are characterized with respect to SERS signals and compatibility with PSI-MS analysis. Proof-of-principle is established with the identification of five representative drugs, and detection limits on the scale of 1–100 ng are achieved for both PSI-MS and SERS. The integrated SERS-PSI-MS system achieved 99.8% accurate chemical identification in a blind study consisting of 500 samples. Additionally, we demonstrate facile discrimination of several JWH-018 isomers via SERS even when MS and MS2 spectra are indistinguishable. Successful coupling of SERS and PSI-MS to enable on-site chemical analysis by two independent methods can potentially lead to a desirable paradigm shift in the handling of drug evidence.
With our increased environmental awareness has come the need for technologies that can detect, identify and monitor pollutants and, where necessary, verify their destruction. This need is evidenced by the recent creation of the Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA), of which the Title III-Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAP) amendments mandate the complete revision and expansion of the earlier Clean Air Act (CAA), section 112.1 As was pointed out by Grant, Kagann and McClenny,2 optical remote sensing technologies are expected to play a very important role in insuring that various facilities are in compliance with the Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standards for the reduction of HAP emissions that are called for in section 301 of Title III. Unfortunately, however, many of these technologies have varying detection and applicability characteristics which often dictate the conditions under which one can use the sensor to detect, identify or monitor a chemical species. Some of the advantages3-8 that a Raman-based pollution sensor possess are: (1) very high selectivity (chemical specific fingerprints), (2) independence from the excitation wavelength (ability to monitor in the solar blind region), (3) chemical mixture fingerprints are the sum of its individual components (no spectral cross-talk), (4) near independence of the Raman fingerprint to its physical state (very similar spectra for gas, liquid, solid and solutions), and (5) insensitivity of the Raman signature to environmental conditions (no quenching, or interference from water). The detection of atmospheric components using Raman backscattering of laser radiation dates back to the pioneering work of Leonard9 in 1967. In that study, he used a pulsed N2 gas laser at 337.1 nm to generate Raman return signals from N2 and O2.
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