Fatality due to acute alpha-methyltryptamine intoxication.

In February 2003, the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner Department reported the first known death in the country related to alpha-methyltryptamine (AMT). AMT is an indole analogue of amphetamine investigated in the 1960s as an antidepressant, stimulant, and monoamine oxidase inhibitor. Today, AMT is recognized as a powerful psychedelic drug among high school and college-aged men and women.

Recommendations for toxicological investigations of drug-facilitated sexual assaults.

The recent increase in reports of drug-facilitated sexual assaults has caused alarm in the general public and prompted forensic toxicologists from across North America to address the toxicological issues surrounding this matter. The authors have developed recommendations and guidelines to inform law enforcement, medical, and scientific personnel of the requirements for performing successful toxicological examinations in cases of drug-facilitated rape.

Analysis of cocaine and metabolites in brain using solid phase extraction and full-scanning gas chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry.

A method is described for the determination of cocaine, benzoylecgonine and cocaethylene in the human brain using Clean Screen solid phase extraction cartridges and gas chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry with electron impact and full scan analysis. The procedure uses deuterated internal standards. Run-to-run and within-run coefficients of variation are < 7% and the sensitivity proved to be 50 ng/g from 1 g of sample.

A solid phase extraction technique for the isolation and identification of opiates in urine.

A quantitative method was developed for the simultaneous analysis of morphine, codeine, hydromorphone, hydrocodone, and oxycodone in urine by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Samples were hydrolyzed with beta-glucuronidase and then extracted by solid phase extraction on Bond Elute Certify cartridges at pH 6.8.