Predicting the Geographic Origin of Heroin by Multivariate Analysis of Elemental Composition and Strontium Isotope Ratios

DeBord, Joshua

doi:10.25148/etd.fidc006831

“…Moreover, other researchers determined the provenance of 88% of the total heroin samples analyzed. This was done through ICP-MS analysis of several elements including Na, Mg, Cr, Fe, Zn, Zr, Cd, Pb, and U [ 42 ]. Significant differences for these elements were observed between heroin originating from East Asia and Eastern Hemisphere America as well as differences between Southeast Asia vs. Southwest Asia and Mexico vs. South America [ 42 ].…”

Section: Chemical Profiling Of Illicit Drugsmentioning

confidence: 99%

State-of-the-Art Analytical Approaches for Illicit Drug Profiling in Forensic Investigations

Ahmed

¹

,

Altamimi²,

Hachem

³

2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In forensic chemistry, when investigating seized illicit drugs, the profiling or chemical fingerprinting of drugs is considered fundamental. This involves the identification, quantitation and categorization of drug samples into groups, providing investigative leads such as a common or different origin of seized samples. Further goals of drug profiling include the elucidation of synthetic pathways, identification of adulterants and impurities, as well as identification of a drug’s geographic origin, specifically for plant-derived exhibits. The aim of this state-of-art-review is to present the traditional and advanced analytical approaches commonly followed by forensic chemists worldwide for illicit drug profiling. We discussed numerous methodologies for the physical and chemical profiling of organic and inorganic impurities found in illicit drug. Applications of powerful spectroscopic and chromatographic tools for illicit drug profiling including isotope-Ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), gas chromatography–isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-IRMS), ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC), thin layer chromatography (TLC), liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) were discussed. Altogether, the techniques covered in this paper to profile seized illicit drugs could aid forensic chemists in selecting and applying a suitable method to extract valuable profiling data.

show abstract

“…Among the isotope ratio, that of strontium (Sr) re ects past aspect and/or a fact basing on radioactive decay or mass discrimination effect, and it widely serves indictors as age determination in geological sciences, 1 environmental dynamics 2,3 , forensic sciences, 4 authenticity judgment, 5 and determination of geographic origin. 6 In particular, the arti cial nuclide, radioactive strontium ( 90 Sr) records as the memory of nuclear disaster in materials such as Chernobyl or Fukushima Nuclear Power Plants Accidents. 7 90 Sr is a pure β-ray emitting radionuclide (0.55 MeV, 100% yield) and a typical ssion product of 235 U (5.8%) and 239 Pu (2.1%).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Part Per Trillion Isotope Ratio Analysis of 90Sr/88Sr using Energy-Filtered Thermal ionization mass spectrometry

Takagai

¹

,

Wakaki

²

,

Aoki

³

et al. 2021

Preprint

0

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Strontium-90 is a major radioactive nuclide released by nuclear accidents and discharge waste. Input of such radioactive nuclide into earth surface environment causes potential threat of long-term internal exposure when taken up by organism. Rapid and precise measurement of 90Sr in variety of environmental sample is important to understand the distribution and dynamics of 90Sr in the local environment after the accident and to assess the effect of radioactive nuclide inputs on bodies. However, previous 90Sr measurement techniques have drawbacks such as long measurement times for radiometry and high detection limits for mass spectrometry. Here we present a technique to accurately measure a significantly small amount of 90Sr in natural environmental samples using an energy-filtered thermal ionization mass spectrometry. Our technique achieved a 90Sr detection limit of 0.23 ag, which corresponds to a 90Sr activity of 1.2 µBq. The detection limit was lowered by two orders of magnitude compared with the previous mass spectrometric 90Sr analyses. The ability of our technique will expand the applicability of mass spectrometric 90Sr survey not only to the rapid 90Sr survey upon nuclear accidents but also to study a long-term environmental diffusion of radioactive materials using size-limited environmental and biological samples.

show abstract

A part per trillion isotope ratio analysis of 90Sr/88Sr using energy-filtered thermal ionization mass spectrometry

Wakaki

¹

,

Aoki

²

,

Shimode

³

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Strontium-90 is a major radioactive nuclide released by nuclear accidents and discharge waste. Input of such radioactive nuclide into earth surface environment causes potential threat of long-term internal exposure when taken up by organism. Rapid and precise measurement of 90Sr in variety of environmental sample is important to understand the distribution and dynamics of 90Sr in the local environment after the accident and to assess the effect of radioactive nuclide inputs on bodies. However, previous 90Sr measurement techniques have drawbacks such as long measurement times for radiometry and high detection limits for mass spectrometry. Here we present a technique to accurately measure a significantly small amount of 90Sr in natural environmental samples using an energy-filtered thermal ionization mass spectrometry. Our technique achieved a 90Sr detection limit of 0.23 ag, which corresponds to a 90Sr activity of 1.2 µBq. The detection limit was lowered by two orders of magnitude compared with the previous mass spectrometric 90Sr analyses. The ability of our technique will expand the applicability of mass spectrometric 90Sr survey not only to the rapid 90Sr survey upon nuclear accidents but also to study a long-term environmental diffusion of radioactive materials using size-limited environmental and biological samples.

show abstract

Predicting the Geographic Origin of Heroin by Multivariate Analysis of Elemental Composition and Strontium Isotope Ratios

Cited by 3 publications

References 73 publications

State-of-the-Art Analytical Approaches for Illicit Drug Profiling in Forensic Investigations

State-of-the-Art Analytical Approaches for Illicit Drug Profiling in Forensic Investigations

A Part Per Trillion Isotope Ratio Analysis of 90Sr/88Sr using Energy-Filtered Thermal ionization mass spectrometry

A part per trillion isotope ratio analysis of 90Sr/88Sr using energy-filtered thermal ionization mass spectrometry

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About