Principles and Procedures for Assessment of Acute Toxicity Incorporating Methods.

Acute models are being used to support an increasing number of application areas including (1) product research and development, (2) product approval and registration as well as (3) the transport, storage and handling of chemicals. The adoption of such models is being hindered, in part, because of a lack of guidance describing how to perform and document an analysis. To address this issue, a framework for an acute toxicity hazard assessment is proposed.

The clavicle bone as an alternative matrix in forensic toxicological analysis.

Although human blood is the reference medium in the field of forensic toxicology, alternative matrices may be required when traditional specimens are not available, especially in the investigation of cases involving decomposing remains. Clavicle bone may provide an appropriate sample of choice since it can easily be obtained at autopsy after the removal of the breastplate for the inspection of the thoracic viscera. To the author's knowledge, this is the first time that clavicle bone is used as an alternative matrix for the detection of drugs.

Direct urine analysis for the identification and quantification of selected benzodiazepines for toxicology screening.

A simple and rapid LC/MS method with direct injection analysis was developed and validated for the identification and quantification of ten benzodiazepines (flunitrazepam, nordiazepam, diazepam, 7-aminoflunitrazepam, flurazepam, bromazepam, midazolam, alprazolam, temazepam and oxazepam) in human urine using diazepam-d5 as internal standard (IS). The main advantage of the proposed methodology is the minimal sample preparation procedure, as diluted urine samples were directly injected into LC/MS system. Electrospray ionization in positive mode using selected ion monitoring was chosen for the identification and quantification of the analytes.

Migration study of 1,3-butadiene in eye-drop solutions.

The potential deleterious effects of extractables/leachables in pharmaceutical products led the USP, EP, and JP to require extractable and toxicity testing of container/closure systems. To that, a headspace gas chromatography flame ionization detection method was developed and validated for the determination of 1,3-butadiene (1,3-BD) as a potential extractable residue from a pharmaceutical container/closure system into eye-drop solutions. A migration study was further applied in eight eye-drop solutions (currently marketed products) after short- and long-term exposure of these products at various temperatures.

Naphyrone: a "legal high" not legal any more.

Naphyrone, also known as naphthylpyrovalerone and O-2482, is a cathinone derivative that has been recently advertized for purchase on a number of websites. Naphyrone belongs to a new class of "designer drugs" that has emerged on the drugs abuse market and has gained popularity as the new "legal high." Legal highs have been circulating for a number of years in Europe and are becoming popular in the United States.