Characterization and differentiation of cyclopropylfentanyl from E-crotonylfentanyl, Z-crotonylfentanyl, and 3-butenylfentanyl.

Recently, a sample containing cyclopropylfentanyl was analyzed at this laboratory. Cyclopropylfentanyl began to appear in the United States' illicit drug markets in 2017. Unfortunately, cyclopropylfentanyl presents an analytical challenge due to its mass spectrum being almost identical to that of crotonylfentanyl.

Applying the principles of isotope analysis in plant and animal ecology to forensic science in the Americas.

The heart of forensic science is application of the scientific method and analytical approaches to answer questions central to solving a crime: Who, What, When, Where, and How. Forensic practitioners use fundamentals of chemistry and physics to examine evidence and infer its origin. In this regard, ecological researchers have had a significant impact on forensic science through the development and application of a specialized measurement technique-isotope analysis-for examining evidence.

Changes in illicit cocaine hydrochloride processing identified and revealed through multivariate analysis of cocaine signature data.

For nearly 30years, the methods utilized in illicit cocaine hydrochloride production have remained relatively consistent. Cocaine hydrochloride is typically produced one kilogram at a time. As a result, each individual kilogram is unique and distinct from other kilograms in any particular seizure based on the total alkaloid profile, occluded solvent profile, and isotopic signature.

The isotopic fractionation of carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen during illicit production of cocaine base in South America.

Stable isotope measurements have become a key component in sourcing the origin of illicit cocaine seized within the United States. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the process by which isotopes may be fractionated during illicit cocaine processing. In a controlled observational study, there was apparent isotopic fractionation of carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen.

Geographically Sourcing Cocaine's Origin - Delineation of the Nineteen Major Coca Growing Regions in South America.

Previously, geo-sourcing to five major coca growing regions within South America was accomplished. However, the expansion of coca cultivation throughout South America made sub-regional origin determinations increasingly difficult. The former methodology was recently enhanced with additional stable isotope analyses ((2)H and (18)O) to fully characterize cocaine due to the varying environmental conditions in which the coca was grown.

Characterization and origin of the 'B' and 'C' compounds in the acid/neutral forensic signatures of heroin - products from the acylation of porphyroxine and subsequent hydrolysis.

Two significant compounds often found in the gas chromatographic analysis of the acid/neutral extracts from illicit heroin have remained uncharacterized for 30 years. The unknown compounds are referred to as the 'B' and 'C' compounds. It has been postulated that these compounds arise from acetylation of porphyroxine, a rhoeadine alkaloid found at trace levels in the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum.

Differentiation of South American crack and domestic (US) crack cocaine via headspace-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

South American 'crack' cocaine, produced directly from coca leaf, can be distinguished from US domestically produced crack on the basis of occluded solvent profiles. In addition, analysis of domestically produced crack indicates the solvents that were used for cocaine hydrochloride (HCl) processing in South America. Samples of cocaine base (N=3) from South America and cocaine from the USA (N=157 base, N=88 HCl) were analyzed by headspace-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS) to determine their solvent profiles.

Rapid determination of the isomeric truxillines in illicit cocaine via capillary gas chromatography/flame ionization detection and their use and implication in the determination of cocaine origin and trafficking routes.

The isomeric truxillines are a group of minor alkaloids present in all illicit cocaine samples. The relative amount of truxillines in cocaine is indicative of the variety of coca used for cocaine processing, and thus, is useful in source determination. Previously, the determination of isomeric truxillines in cocaine was performed with a gas chromatography/electron capture detection method.

Headspace-gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis of South American commercial solvents and their use in the illicit conversion of cocaine base to cocaine hydrochloride.

This study presents data that establish the makeup of solvents utilized in illicit cocaine hydrochloride production, as determined via the identification of the occluded solvents in the crystal matrix of the final product. The occluded solvent ratios can differ dramatically from the ratios of the original processing solvents. Additionally, the presented data suggest the diversion of commercial solvents to illicit cocaine hydrochloride laboratories.

Chemosystematic identification of fifteen new cocaine-bearing Erythroxylum cultigens grown in Colombia for illicit cocaine production.

Colombian coca farmers have historically cultivated three varieties of coca for cocaine production (Erythroxylum novogranatense var. novogranatense, Erythroxylum novogranatense var. truxillense, and Erythroxylum coca var.

Socioeconomic and ethnic disparities in the use of biventricular pacemakers in heart failure patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction.

Objectives: Biventricular pacing (BiV) is an important therapy for symptomatic heart failure (HF) patients with reduced left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF). The aim of our study was to determine if ethnic disparities in use of BiV in HF patients with LV systolic dysfunction are independent of socioeconomic status.

Design, Setting, Participants: Data collected on 32,911 hospitalized HF patients with EF < or = 35% from Pennsylvania hospitals that implanted BiVs in 2004 and 2005 were submitted to the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council.

Profiling of illicit fentanyl using UHPLC-MS/MS.

Methodology is presented for the profiling of fentanyl in seized drugs using ultra high performance liquid chromatography in combination with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). Target analysis was performed for 40 fentanyl processing impurities, several of which are markers for a specific synthetic route (Siegfried or Janssen). For the separation of these solutes, an Acquity BEH C18 1.

Determination of phenyltetrahydroimidazothiazole enantiomers (Levamisole/Dexamisole) in illicit cocaine seizures and in the urine of cocaine abusers via chiral capillary gas chromatography-flame-ionization detection: clinical and forensic perspectives.

Illicit cocaine laboratories in South America have been adding phenyltetrahydroimidazothiazole enantiomers (levamisole and/or tetramisole) to refined illicit cocaine for over 8 years. A chiral capillary gas chromatographic methodology is presented for phenyltetrahydroimidazothiazole enantiomer determination in illicit cocaine samples and in the urine of cocaine abusers. Illicit cocaine samples (N = 752) and urine specimens from cocaine abusers (N = 50) that contained phenyltetrahydroimidazothiazole were analyzed for enantiomeric composition.

14C analyses quantify time lag between coca leaf harvest and street-level seizure of cocaine.

Measurements were made on the natural abundance (14)C content (Δ(14)C) of cocaine specimens seized between 2003 and 2009. The objective of this study was to determine the extent to which Δ(14)C analyses could quantify the "age" of recent cocaine seizures. Here "age" of a seized cocaine specimen is defined as the time period between when a coca leaf was harvested in South America and its seizure as cocaine at either the international or domestic street levels.

Signature profiling and classification of illicit heroin by GC-MS analysis of acidic and neutral manufacturing impurities.

The illicit manufacture of heroin results in the formation of trace level acidic and neutral impurities. These impurities are detectable in illicit heroin and provide valuable information about the manufacturing process used. The isolation, derivatization, and semiquantitative analysis of neutral and acidic heroin manufacturing impurities by programmed temperature vaporizing injector-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (PTV-GC-MS) is described.

The effects of ambient solar UV radiation on alkaloid production by Erythroxylum novogranatense var. novogranatense.

Truxillines are alkaloids produced by Erythroxylum species and are thought to be derived from the UV-driven dimerization of cinnamoylcocaines. This study was conducted to determine the effects of ambient UV radiation on the production of truxillines in Erythroxylum novogranatense var. novogranatense.

Chlorinated opium alkaloid derivatives produced by the use of aqueous sodium hypochlorite during the clandestine manufacture of heroin.

A clandestine chemist was observed producing heroin from crude morphine utilizing a solution of sodium hypochlorite during the process. Numerous chlorinated opium alkaloid derivatives were created when the morphine acetylation reaction was quenched and neutralized with a solution of sodium hypochlorite and ammonium hydroxide. Four of these compounds, 1-chloroheroin, 1-chloroacetylcodeine, 1-chloro-O(6)-monoacetylmorphine, and 2'-chloropapaverine, were characterized via preparative isolation, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and independent synthesis.

Tropane ethyl esters in illicit cocaine: isolation, detection, and determination of new manufacturing by-products from the clandestine purification of crude cocaine base with ethanol.

Seven ethyl homologues of known tropane esters have recently been detected as impurities in the gas chromatographic signature profiles of authentic Peruvian illicit cocaine base and hydrochloride exhibits. Peruvian cocaine base processors are now known to use ethanol for the purification of crude cocaine base. This process is referred to as the "base lavada" or "washed base" process and is a recent substitute method for the potassium permanganate oxidation purification methodology.

Four new illicit cocaine impurities from the oxidation of crude cocaine base: formation and characterization of the diastereomeric 2,3-dihydroxy-3-phenylpropionylecgonine methyl esters from cis- and trans-cinnamoylcocaine.

Four new impurities have recently been detected in the gas chromatographic signature profiles of many illicit cocaine hydrochloride exhibits. These impurities are only seen in exhibits that have been oxidized and are most prominent in samples that have been highly oxidized. Exhibits containing these compounds were subjected to gas and liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric analyses to determine the identity of the impurities.

Apparent effects of glyphosate on alkaloid production in coca plants grown in Colombia.

During the routine analysis of coca leaf material from South America, alkaloids in Erythroxylum coca var. ipadu (ECVI) leaf samples from fields suspected of being treated with glyphosate were compared with those from non-treated E. coca var.

Stable isotope analyses of heroin seized from the merchant vessel Pong Su.

A new type of heroin HCl seized in Australia was examined by stable isotope analysis. The final origin/process classification of these samples by chromatographic signature profiles of the impurity/manufacturing by-products was previously determined to be "unknown" by two independent national laboratories. Various drug enforcement authorities speculated that the heroin might be from a new region or new illicit process due to the unusual chromatographic impurity profiles that were present.

Neutral heroin impurities from tetrahydrobenzylisoquinoline alkaloids.

Laudanosine, reticuline, codamine, and laudanine are members of the tetrahydrobenzylisoquinoline family of natural products. These alkaloids are present in the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, and are subsequently found as impurities in clandestinely processed morphine. Morphine is then synthesized to heroin using hot acetic anhydride.

Alkaloid content of the seeds from Erythroxylum Coca var. Coca.

Alkaloid extracts from the seeds of Erythroxylum Coca var. Coca grown in the Chapare Valley of Bolivia were subjected to gas and liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric analyses. Several alkaloids from these seeds were detected and characterized, including methylecgonidine, tropine, 3alpha-acetoxytropane, ecgonine methyl ester, cuscohygrine, N-norbenzoyltropine, benzoyltropine, hexanoylecgonine methyl ester, cocaine, cis-cinnamoylcocaine, and trans-cinnamoylcocaine.

Isotopic fractionation of carbon and nitrogen during the illicit processing of cocaine and heroin in South America.

The forensic application of stable isotope analysis to cocaine and heroin for geolocation of exhibits must take into account the possible enrichment and/or depletion of 13C and 15N during the illicit manufacturing process. Continuous-flow elemental analysis-isotope ratio mass spectrometry was utilized to measure changes in the stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen for both cocaine (N = 92) and heroin/morphine (N = 81) exhibits derived from illicit manufacturing processes utilized by South American clandestine chemists. In controlled settings in South America, there was no siginficiant carbon isotope fractionation during the conversion of cocaine base to cocaine HCI using current illict methodologies.