Quantitative determination of nitrous oxide in human blood by HS-GC-MS: forensic application of two fatal poisoning cases.

Nitrous oxide (NO), also known as laughing gas, has a euphoric effect and is becoming increasingly popular as a recreational inhalant drug. Deaths caused by recreational nitrous oxide abuse are rare, but may still occur. Although some methods for the quantification of NO by GC-MS have been reported, elimination of carbon dioxide interference and the choice of a suitable internal standard remain current limitations to accurate NO quantification.

Strategies for Collection and Analysis of Samples in Simple Asphyxiant Gas Acute Poisoning Death Cases.

At present, the death cases of simple asphyxiant gas acute poisoning are increasing sharply. Common asphyxiant gases in death cases include nitrogen, helium, carbon dioxide, methane, propane, laughing gas, etc. Simple asphyxiant gas has no affinity for biological matrices and escapes quickly, which puts forward new requirements for autopsy procedures, selection and collection of samples, laboratory analysis and identification.

Forensic Analysis of 9 Poisoning Death Cases Caused by Oral Administration of Diphenidol.

Objectives: To analyze the characteristics of diphenidol poisoning cases and to provide clues and technical means for the identification of such cases.

Methods: Biological samples of 9 deaths caused by diphenidol poisoning were detected by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), and the characteristics of these cases were analyzed retrospectively.

Results: Most of the deaths caused by diphenidol poisoning were young females.

Direct injection ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the high-throughput determination of 11 illicit drugs and metabolites in wastewater.

The measurement of illicit drugs in wastewater is increasingly being adopted as a method for objective monitoring of population-level illicit drug use. This work describes the first small-volume direct-injection ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous determination of 11 illicit drugs and metabolites in wastewater. The method required an injection volume of only 30 µL of wastewater sample, the limits of detection (LOD) ranged from 0.

Analysis of 28 hair samples from users of the hallucinogenic beverage ayahuasca.

Ayahuasca is a psychoactive beverage widely used in religious ceremonies in Amazonia. Dimethyltryptamine is the main active compound of ayahuasca. Dimethyltryptamine has many hazardous effects, including hallucinations.

Detection of a New Tert-Leucinate Synthetic Cannabinoid 5F-MDMB-PICA and Its Metabolites in Human Hair: Application to Authentic Cases.

Methyl 2 -[ [ 1- (5- fluoropentyl) indole - 3- carbonyl] amino] -3, 3- dimethyl - butanoate (5F-MDMB-PICA) is a new synthetic cannabinoid characterized by valinate or tert-leucinate moieties. In recent years, 5F-MDMB-PICA has been abused in the form of "spice-like" herbal incenses or electronic cigarette oil. A UHPLC-MS/MS method was developed to detect 5F-MDMB-PICA and its metabolites in human hair.

UHPLC-MS/MS method for simultaneously detecting 16 tryptamines and their metabolites in human hair and applications to real forensics cases.

Tryptamines are hallucinogenic substances many of which have appeared recently as novel psychoactive substances (NPS). Herein, we describe the establishment of a rapid UHPLC-MS/MS quantitative method for the targeted screening of 16 tryptamines of abuse in hair. Twenty milligram pieces of hair were pulverized below 4 °C in 0.

Determination of 37 fentanyl analogues and novel synthetic opioids in hair by UHPLC-MS/MS and its application to authentic cases.

The recent emergence of new fentanyl analogues and synthetic opioids on the drug market poses a global public health threat. However, these compounds cannot typically be identified using existing analytical methods. In this study, we aimed to develop and validate a rapid and sensitive method based on ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) for the simultaneous determination of 37 fentanyl analogues and novel synthetic opioids in hair samples.

Investigation of Fragmentation Pathways of Fentanyl Analogues and Novel Synthetic Opioids by Electron Ionization High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry and Electrospray Ionization High-Resolution Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

The global drug market is characterized by the fast development of new psychoactive substances such as fentanyl analogues and novel synthetic opioids, the detection of which is complicated by the lack of appropriate quality control procedures and references. Herein, we analyze the fragmentation pathways and characteristic ions of 25 novel fentanyl analogues and 5 novel synthetic opioids by electron ionization (EI) and electrospray ionization (ESI) high-resolution mass spectrometry to provide a reference for the identification of these species. In the ESI mode, fentanyl analogues mainly undergo piperidine ring degradation, phenethyl and piperidine ring dissociation, and piperidine ring and amide moiety cleavage, while piperidine ring degradation and phenethyl and piperidine ring dissociation are the major pathways in the EI mode.

Segmental analysis of antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs in the hair of schizophrenic patients.

Hair analysis is useful for documenting long-term exposure to drugs. The potential of hair analysis for therapeutic drug monitoring within the forensic field has been studied, but reference values for some antidepressants and antipsychotics in the hair of individuals undergoing chronic therapy are still lacking. In the present study, a method was developed and validated for the determination of 23 analytes, including antidepressants, antipsychotics, and related metabolites, in human hair by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).

Screening for volatile sulphur compounds in a fatal accident case.

Acute fatal poisoning due to the inhalation of toxic gas frequently occurs in China. Volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs) are toxic to humans. In fatal poisoning investigations, such as those in industrial settings, a number of VSCs, including methanethiol (MT), dimethyl sulphide (DMS), dimethyl disulphide (DMDS) and dimethyl trisulphide (DMTS), can coexist.