Determination of δ13CV−PDBand δ15NAIRvalues of cocaine from a big seizure in Germany by stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry†

Sewenig, Sabine; Fichtner, S.; Holdermann, T.; Fritschi, Giselher; Neumann, Helmut

doi:10.1080/10256010701705286

Cited by 12 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Several reviews have discussed forensic applications of IRMS (105)(106)(107)(108), and Meier-Augenstein (109) provided even more comprehensive coverage in his recent book Stable Isotope Forensics. In forensic applications, isotope ratio analysis provides information about the natural or synthetic origins of scheduled drugs (110)(111)(112)(113)(114)(115)(116)(117)(118)(119)(120), organic and inorganic explosives (76,121,122), petroleum hydrocarbons (such as in ignitable liquids) (65,66,(123)(124)(125)(126), and various other forensic materials (such as fibers, matches, and paint chips) (127)(128)(129)(130)(131). The ability to analyze hard and soft human tissue has also provided helpful investigative leads about the geographic origins of humans, especially in John Doe and Jane Doe cases where fingerprints, DNA, and dental records are not found in databases (132)(133)(134)(135)(136)(137)(138)(139).…”

Section: Stable Isotope Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Forensic Mass Spectrometry

Hoffmann¹,

Jackson

2015

Annual Rev. Anal. Chem.

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Developments in forensic mass spectrometry tend to follow, rather than lead, the developments in other disciplines. Examples of techniques having forensic potential born independently of forensic applications include ambient ionization, imaging mass spectrometry, isotope ratio mass spectrometry, portable mass spectrometers, and hyphenated chromatography-mass spectrometry instruments, to name a few. Forensic science has the potential to benefit enormously from developments that are funded by other means, if only the infrastructure and personnel existed to adopt, validate, and implement the new technologies into casework. Perhaps one unique area in which forensic science is at the cutting edge is in the area of chemometrics and the determination of likelihood ratios for the evaluation of the weight of evidence. Such statistical techniques have been developed most extensively for ignitable-liquid residue analyses and isotope ratio analysis. This review attempts to capture the trends, motivating forces, and likely impact of developing areas of forensic mass spectrometry, with the caveat that none of this research is likely to have any real impact in the forensic community unless: (a) The instruments developed are turned into robust black boxes with red and green lights for positives and negatives, respectively, or (b) there are PhD graduates in the workforce who can help adopt these sophisticated techniques.

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Section: Stable Isotope Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Forensic Mass Spectrometry

Hoffmann¹,

Jackson

2015

Annual Rev. Anal. Chem.

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“…Limited information is available regarding the batch variation within large cocaine seizures consisting of multiple one-kilogram cocaine bricks. Earlier work has tried to link cocaine bricks imprinted with the same logo by analysing the isotopic ratios of a big seizure in Germany [2]. No correlation between the isotopic ratio and the respective logo was, however, observed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variation in chemical profiles within large seizures of cocaine bricks

Nielsen

Villesen

Lindholst

2017

Forensic Science International

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Cocaine is usually trafficked from South America throughout the world in packages of approximately one kilogram shaped as bricks and imprinted with a logo. Seizures consisting of multiple cocaine bricks gives the opportunity to examine the variation in the chemical profile within cocaine bricks assumed to originate from the same manufacturer and maybe even the same production batch. This knowledge may be important to the forensic investigator when chemical profiles from cocaine samples of unknown origin are compared. In the present study, the alkaloid and residual solvent profiles from three large cocaine seizures each containing identical cocaine bricks was examined. The three cases consisted of 36, 84 and 100 cocaine bricks, respectively. Each cocaine brick was profiled according to its cocaine alkaloid and residual solvent content using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and headspace GC-MS. The study showed that each of the three identical looking seizures consisted of up to four groups of cocaine bricks displaying the same cocaine alkaloid and residual solvent profile. The size of the groups varied from 2.4 to 63.3kg cocaine. The study also showed that the residual solvent profile within each of the three large seizures exhibited very little variation whereas the alkaloid profile varied considerably more. This finding suggest that the same organic solvent is used for the production of several batches of cocaine HCl. Therefore, the residual solvent profile may be a tool to link different production batches from the same manufacturer even though the alkaloid profile are different.

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“…Beyond this problem, investigations on intoxication cases and forensic drug intelligence could benefit from such information for the assessment of the linkage between GHB found in a biological sample and drug seizures. Actually, the potential of stable isotope analysis for drug profiling is valuable, as enlightened for cocaine, heroin, amphetaminebased molecules, marijuana and GBL [28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37]. However, this methodology has only been applied to the raw matrix at present, and linking the aforementioned molecules found in biological fluids and in seizure samples remains a promising topic yet to be explored.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Source inference of exogenous gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) administered to humans by means of carbon isotopic ratio analysis: novel perspectives regarding forensic investigation and intelligence issues

et al. 2011

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γ-Hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) is an endogenous short-chain fatty acid popular as a recreational drug due to sedative and euphoric effects, but also often implicated in drug-facilitated sexual assaults owing to disinhibition and amnesic properties. Whilst discrimination between endogenous and exogenous GHB as required in intoxication cases may be achieved by the determination of the carbon isotope content, such information has not yet been exploited to answer source inference questions of forensic investigation and intelligence interests. However, potential isotopic fractionation effects occurring through the whole metabolism of GHB may be a major concern in this regard. Thus, urine specimens from six healthy male volunteers who ingested prescription GHB sodium salt, marketed as Xyrem(®), were analysed by means of gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry to assess this particular topic. A very narrow range of δ(13)C values, spreading from -24.81‰ to -25.06‰, was observed, whilst mean δ(13)C value of Xyrem(®) corresponded to -24.99‰. Since urine samples and prescription drug could not be distinguished by means of statistical analysis, carbon isotopic effects and subsequent influence on δ(13)C values through GHB metabolism as a whole could be ruled out. Thus, a link between GHB as a raw matrix and found in a biological fluid may be established, bringing relevant information regarding source inference evaluation. Therefore, this study supports a diversified scope of exploitation for stable isotopes characterized in biological matrices from investigations on intoxication cases to drug intelligence programmes.

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Determination of δ¹³C_V−PDBand δ¹⁵N_AIRvalues of cocaine from a big seizure in Germany by stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry†

Cited by 12 publications

References 11 publications

Forensic Mass Spectrometry

Forensic Mass Spectrometry

Variation in chemical profiles within large seizures of cocaine bricks

Source inference of exogenous gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) administered to humans by means of carbon isotopic ratio analysis: novel perspectives regarding forensic investigation and intelligence issues

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