Detection and quantification of 56 new psychoactive substances in whole blood and urine by LC-MS/MS.

Background: New psychoactive substances (NPS) have become increasingly prevalent and are sold in internet shops as 'bath salts' or 'research chemicals' and comprehensive bioanalytical methods are needed for their detection.

Methodology: We developed and validated a method using LC and MS/MS to quantify 56 NPS in blood and urine, including amphetamine derivatives, 2C compounds, aminoindanes, cathinones, piperazines, tryptamines, dissociatives and others. Instrumentation included a Synergi Polar-RP column (Phenomenex) and a 3200 QTrap mass spectrometer (AB Sciex).

Rapid and simple LC-MS/MS screening of 64 novel psychoactive substances using dried blood spots.

The range of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) including phenethylamines, cathinones, piperazines, tryptamines, etc. is continuously growing. Therefore, fast and reliable screening methods for these compounds are essential and needed.

Determination of ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate from dried blood spots.

Background: Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS) are non-oxidative minor metabolites of ethanol. They are detectable in various body fluids shortly after initial consumption of ethanol and have a longer detection time frame than the parent compound. They are regarded highly sensitive and specific markers of recent alcohol uptake.

Inhibition of bacterial degradation of EtG by collection as dried urine spots (DUS).

Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS) are direct alcohol consumption markers widely used nowadays for clinical and forensic applications. They are detectable in blood and urine even after consumption of trace amounts of ethanol and for a longer time frame, being detectable even when no more ethanol is present. The instability of EtG against bacterial degradation in contaminated urine samples and/or the possible postcollection synthesis of this metabolite in samples containing, e.

Copper(I) complexes of 6,6'-disubstituted 2,2'-bipyridine dicarboxylic acids: new complexes for incorporation into copper-based dye sensitized solar cells (DSCs).

Synthetic approaches to 6,6'-disubstituted-2,2'-bipyridine ligands bearing carboxylic acid substituents at the 4,4' or 5,5'-positions are described. Copper(I) complexes with these ligands have been prepared for use in copper-based dye-sensitized solar cells. The single-crystal structures of 6,6'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid (H(2)4), [H(3)6][CF3CO2].

An element of surprise--efficient copper-functionalized dye-sensitized solar cells.

Dye-sensitized solar cells with carboxylate-derivatized {Cu(I)L(2)} complexes are surprisingly efficient and offer a long-term alternative approach to ruthenium-functionalized systems.