The key role of mass spectrometry in comprehensive research on new psychoactive substances

Abstract

New psychoactive substances (NPS) are a wide group of compounds that try to mimic the effects produced by the ‘classical’ illicit drugs, including cannabis (synthetic cannabinoids), cocaine and amphetamines (synthetic cathinones) or heroin (synthetic opioids), and which health effects are still unknown for most of them. Nowadays, more than 700 compounds are being monitored by official organisms, some of which have been recently identified in seizures and/or intoxication cases. Toxicological analysis plays a pivotal role in NPS research. A comprehensive investigation on NPS, from the first identification of a novel substance until its detection in drug users to help in diagnostics and medical treatment, requires the use of a wide variety of instruments and analytical strategies. This paper illustrates the key role of mass spectrometry (MS) along a comprehensive investigation on NPS. The synthetic cannabinoid XLR‐11 and the synthetic cathinone 5‐PPDi have been chosen as representative substances of the most consumed NPS families. Moreover, both compounds have been investigated at our laboratory in different stages of the three‐step strategy considered in this article. The initial identification and characterisation of the compound in consumption products, the first reported metabolic pathway and the development of analytical methodologies for its determination (and/or their metabolites) in different toxicological samples are described. The analytical strategies and MS instruments are briefly discussed to show the reader the possibilities that MS instrumentation offer to analytical scientists. This publication aims to be a starting point for those interested on the NPS research field from an analytical chemistry point of view.

Interpol Review of Drug Analysis 2019-2022

“…2019 application of 2D-LC for the separation of isomeric and structurally related complex mixtures of NPS [ 948 ]; analysis of 1357 narcotics confiscated by the police identified eighteen members of synthetic cannabinoid group, six cathinone compounds, three different tryptamine compounds, and two compounds from the phenethylamine group [ 949 ]; analysis of 70 doses of blotter papers coming from forensic cases, identified mixtures of drugs, such as DOB, 25I–NBOMe, MDMA and 25I–NBOMe imine were identified using CG-MS [ 950 ]; Raman spectroscopy and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) combined with chemometrics approaches, for rapid and portable quantitative detection and discrimination of a wide range of novel psychoactive substances (methcathinone and aminoindane derivatives) [ 951 ]; Raman spectroscopy for the identification and classification of seized Customs samples into three NPS families. [ 952 ]; 2020 low-voltage paper spray ionization coupled with QTOF-MS method was developed and employed for the qualitative analysis of NPS in street drug blotter samples [ 953 ]; GC-MS analysis to evaluate the presence, chemical composition and profile of NPS in blotters seized in the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil, over the period of 2011–2017 [ 954 ]; analytical strategies and MS instruments used for the analysis of NPS compounds [ 955 ]; novel application of the atmospheric solids analysis probe (ASAP) using medical swabs has coupled to a triple quadrupole mass analyzer under a data-dependent acquisition mode to perform a suspect screening of NPS in different types of samples as well as on surfaces [ 956 ]; determination of the chiral status of fifty-one chiral different NPS purchased from online vendors via the Internet [ 957 ]; an enantioselective HPLC-UV method with applicability to a broad spectrum of NPS [ 958 ]; derivatization for GC-MS-based NPS identification [ 959 ]; IR of 301 new psychoactive substances (NPS) reference substances, including 100 synthetic cannabinoids, 81 synthetic cathinone, 42 phenethylamines, 9 tryptamines, 5 piperazines, 7 phencyclidine-type substances, 2 aminoindanes, 55 other types were analyzed [ 960 ]; review of currently available analytical methodologies for the identification and quantification of NPS [ 961 ]; GC-NCD-APCI-QTOFMS method for fast quantitative estimation of stimulant-type NPS [ 962 ]; quantitative H-1 NMR (H-1-qNMR) method for quantification of twelve NPS is seized samples [ 963 ]; analysis of tap water for investigation of 23 psychoactive substances [ 964 ]; analysis of samples using HPLC-DAD and SFC-MS/MS for detection of NPS in biological and seized samples [ 965 ]; quantitative analysis of NPSs by IR including the IR spectra of 301 NPS reference substances (100 synthetic cannabinoids, 81 synthetic cathinone, 42 phenethylamines, 9 tryptamines, 5 piperazines, 7 phencyclidine-type substances, 2 aminoindanes, 55 other types) [ 960 ]; UHPLC-QTOF-MS method used with an online mass spectral database (…”

Cyclic Ion Mobility of Isomeric New Psychoactive Substances Employing Characteristic Arrival Time Distribution Profiles and Adduct Separation

“…LC-MS has allowed the monitoring of NPS in pooled urine and urban wastewater (wastewater-based epidemiological studies). , The large number of NPS, including many isomers, makes nontarget detection challenging. High resolution mass spectrometry is an important tool for solving this analytical task. , Mass spectrometry has contributed to the identification of NPS in consumption products, the study of their metabolism and pharmacokinetics, and the analysis of authentic human samples. , In addition to the commonly used MS in NPS’ chromatography, gas chromatography-infrared detection and gas chromatography-VUV spectroscopy have been successfully tested. Ambient ionization mass spectrometry has attracted attention, allowing the direct analysis of NPS .…”

Synergistic Multieffect Catalytic Amplified Cathodic Electrochemiluminescence Biosensor via Target Binding-Induced Aptamer Conformational Changes for the Ultrasensitive Detection of Synthetic Cathinone

“…In addition to traditional drugs and synthetic drugs, new psychoactive substances (NPS), which include synthetic cannabinoids and synthetic cathinones, are the third generation of drugs that are widely used around the world . Synthetic cathinones are artificial bioamines based on the structure of cathinone, and their chemical structure and medicinal properties are analogous to amphetamine-type stimulants. , These drugs not only cause euphoria in users, but they also have detrimental effects on the human system and can even lead to death, putting human health and life safety at risk. − Right now, the most frequently used detection techniques for synthetic cathinones include chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (C-MS) and Raman spectroscopy. − However, certain defects, such as low sensitivity and cumbersome processes, limit their wider application. As a result, developing a sensitive and precise synthetic cathinone-detection method has become critical.…”