Evaluation of an electrochemical sensor and comparison with spectroscopic approaches as used today in practice for harm reduction in a festival setting-A case study: Analysis of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine samples.

More and more countries and organisations emphasise the value of harm reduction measures in the context of illicit drug use and abuse. One of these measures is drug checking, a preventive action that can represent a quick win by tailored consultation on the risks of substance use upon analytical screening of a submitted sample. Unlike drop-in centres that operate within a fixed setting, enabling drug checking in a harm reduction context at events requires portable, easy to use analytical approaches, operated by personnel with limited knowledge of analytical chemistry.

[Surprising diagnosis after suspected appendicitis].

A 12-year-old boy presented at the emergency department because of right-sided abdominal pain. Laboratory findings and ultrasound examination were suggestive of acute appendicitis. During laparoscopy, an indurated omental mass was seen.

Characterization of CBD oils, seized on the Belgian market, using infrared spectroscopy: Matrix identification and CBD determination, a proof of concept.

The availability of cannabidiol (CBD) oil products has increased in recent years. No analytical controls are mandatory for these products leading to uncertainties about composition and quality. In this paper, a methodology was developed to identify the oil matrix and to estimate the CBD content in such samples, using mid-infrared and near-infrared spectroscopy.

Discrepancies between validated GC-FID and UHPLC-DAD methods for the analysis of Δ-9-THC and CBD in dried hemp flowers.

Herbal products for smoking containing cannabidiol (CBD) are available as "low-tetrahydrocannabinol cannabis products" in most EU countries. In Belgium, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of these products must be less than 0.2% w/w, which is also the limit for agricultural hemp.