Illicit drug contamination of the Bristol pound local currency

Bowdler, Paul; Gale, E.A.M.; Bryant, Freya; Codd, Samuel; Hudd, Sophie; Longden, Reece; White, Paul; Honeychurch, Kevin C.

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2020.110469

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 32 publications

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“…The potential for evidence contamination in forensic laboratories has received increased scrutiny since the introduction of DNA analysis [1,2]. The contamination of paper and plastic currency with low concentrations of drugs has been reported [3][4][5][6]. This potential contamination complicates the interpretation of laboratory results used in the identification of drug money in forfeiture cases and identification of money used as drug paraphernalia.…”

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confidence: 99%

Isobutylene contamination of blood collected in 10‐ml evacuated blood collection tubes with gray conventional rubber stoppers

Kosecki

Autret²,

Abbott

et al. 2021

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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Dual-column headspace gas chromatographic analysis with two flame-ionization detectors is a commonly used analytical technique for forensic blood ethanol quantitation. This technique is also applicable to the identification and quantitation of other volatile organic compounds such as methanol in biological samples. Compound identification by retention time is limited to those compounds with known retention times programmed into the instrument method. Historically, an early-eluting peak from an unidentified compound has been observed in both chromatograms from antemortem blood samples analyzed for ethanol concentration with this technique. The unidentified compound's retention time matches that of methanol on one column but not on the second column. This previously unidentified compound has been identified as isobutylene. The proposed source of the isobutylene contamination historically observed in antemortem blood samples collected in 10-ml graytop blood collection tubes is the conventional rubber stopper. Isobutylene was detected in deionized water stored in each of the seven lots of 10-ml blood tubes tested; the expiration dates of the tubes tested spanned the years 2002-2022. Misidentification of isobutylene as methanol is possible when using a single-column gas chromatographic system. The presence of isobutylene in blood collected in a gray-top collection tube does not represent laboratory contamination, is not an interferent with blood ethanol quantitation, and does not affect the ethanol concentration in the blood. A 0.150 g/dl aqueous ethanol standard was stored in a gray-top tube to evaluate the potential impact of isobutylene on ethanol quantitation. The solution's average ethanol concentration measured after storage was 0.150 g/dl.

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mentioning

confidence: 99%

Isobutylene contamination of blood collected in 10‐ml evacuated blood collection tubes with gray conventional rubber stoppers

Kosecki

Autret²,

Abbott

et al. 2021

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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RETRACTED: Illicit and licit drug contamination results on Turkish banknotes in three provinces of Turkey

Ozturk,

Demirel,

Yeter

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Illicit drugs represent the latest category of emerging environmental pollutants, giving rise to numerous health, social, and environmental problems. Assessing their concentration in various environmental matrices, such as sewage, surface water, and banknotes, provides an indirect means of estimating community-level consumption of illicit drugs and evaluating potential ecotoxicological effects associated with exposure. This study focused on the analysis of 14 illicit and licit drugs present 600 Turkish banknotes collected from three different provinces: Ankara, Adana, and Istanbul. The banknotes underwent preparation by a non-destructive and straightforward extraction method using methanol. A method was subsequently developed and validated for liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry analysis to detect and quantify the target analytes. The investigated substances included benzoylecgonine, cocaine, codeine, morphine, 6-monoacetylmorphine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methamphetamine, methyl 3,3-dimethyl-2-(1-(pent-4-en-1-yl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamido)butanoate, N-[1-(aminocarbonyl)-2,2-dimethylpropyl]-1-butyl-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide, tetrahydrocannabinol, pregabalin, ketamine, and tramadol. Our findings indicate that banknotes commonly circulated in the three cities were primarily contaminated with methamphetamine and cocaine. Although the contamination levels are not excessively high, the potential impact on human health and the environment should not be overlooked. Immediate attention is warranted due to the harmful effects of these contaminants on our environment.

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Analytical Approaches and Trends in the Determination of Psychoactive Drugs in Air

Zambas-Adams

Honeychurch

2022

Sci

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Understanding of the levels of psychoactive drugs in air is important for assessing both occupational and environmental exposure. Intelligence on the usage and manufacture of illegal drugs can also be gained. Environmental analysis and determination of air quality has recently expanded from its traditional focus to new pollutant categories that include illicit and psychoactive drugs. This is attributed to a greater part on the development of new, advanced techniques, such as liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS), allowing for the trace determination of such compounds down to the parts-per-trillion (ng/L) levels generally reported in air. Studies have also investigated the effects of firsthand and secondhand smoking of drugs, such as cocaine, cannabis and opium. Generally, these have shown secondhand smoke effects to be limited, apart from in the case of opium. Some studies have highlighted ill effects resulting through the exposure of vapors and dusts from the storage of drugs, but this has been shown to result from mould and other fungal contaminates. Investigations into the possible occupational exposures resulting from the use of anesthetic drugs in surgery and accident and emergency have focused on nitrous oxide, sevoflurane, methoxyflurane, isoflurane, propofol and fentanyl. This review focuses on developments and applications for the determination of psychoactive drugs in air.

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Illicit drug contamination of the Bristol pound local currency

Cited by 3 publications

References 32 publications

Isobutylene contamination of blood collected in 10‐ml evacuated blood collection tubes with gray conventional rubber stoppers

Isobutylene contamination of blood collected in 10‐ml evacuated blood collection tubes with gray conventional rubber stoppers

RETRACTED: Illicit and licit drug contamination results on Turkish banknotes in three provinces of Turkey

Analytical Approaches and Trends in the Determination of Psychoactive Drugs in Air

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