Coupling DESI-MS with portable instrumentation allowed sensitive and selective examination of synthetic cathinones from various substrates, in complex mixtures, and directly from mock and authentic forensic evidence. This instrumental method has the potential to assess the evidentiary value of forensic samples at crime scenes, reducing backlogs and expediting criminal investigations.

In this paper, an ambient sampling, portable mass spectrometer coupled to a selection on ambient ionization methods was used to perform real-time reaction monitoring of clandestine methamphetamine syntheses.