Gregory W Vandergrift1, Arden J Hessels2, Jan Palaty3, Erik T Krogh1, Chris G Gill4. 1. Applied Environmental Research Laboratories (AERL), Department of Chemistry, Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, BC, Canada; Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada. 2. Applied Environmental Research Laboratories (AERL), Department of Chemistry, Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, BC, Canada. 3. LifeLabs Medical Laboratories, Burnaby, BC, Canada. 4. Applied Environmental Research Laboratories (AERL), Department of Chemistry, Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, BC, Canada; Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada; Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. Electronic address: Chris.Gill@viu.ca.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Fentanyl is a potent, synthetic opioid at the centre of an international health crisis that has seen thousands of fatal overdoses. Most analytical methods focus on the detection of fentanyl in blood and/or urine (i.e., post-drug use). Harm reduction (including pre-screening before drug use) may be an effective strategy against fentanyl overdoses. METHOD: Paper spray-mass spectrometry (PS-MS) is an inexpensive, direct sampling strategy where a small volume of sample (<10 μL) is spotted onto a piece of paper that is then wetted and connected to high voltage. Ions are emitted from the paper and enter a mass spectrometer for sensitive and selective semi-quantitation using labeled internal standards. RESULTS: We present the use of PS-MS for the direct measurement of fentanyl and norfentanyl using a custom PS interface, demonstrating that paper tip position and quality can significantly affect quantitative results. Furthermore, we observe comparable calibrations for fentanyl and norfentanyl (0.5 to 600 ng/mL) across a variety of complex matrices (methanol, diluted urine, analgesic slurry). Detection limits for fentanyl are as low as 0.049 ng/mL (0.4 pg total material) in methanol, and 0.66 ng/mL (5.3 pg total material) spiked in an analgesic slurry (illicit substance simulation). PS-MS was compared with liquid chromatography-MS for the analyses of real urine samples, with satisfactory results. CONCLUSION: PS-MS shows potential as a sensitive and selective direct measurement strategy for use in fentanyl harm reduction strategies, and may also be used for pre-screening in advance of or in combination with more conventional (i.e., chromatographic) analyses.
BACKGROUND:Fentanyl is a potent, synthetic opioid at the centre of an international health crisis that has seen thousands of fatal overdoses. Most analytical methods focus on the detection of fentanyl in blood and/or urine (i.e., post-drug use). Harm reduction (including pre-screening before drug use) may be an effective strategy against fentanyloverdoses. METHOD: Paper spray-mass spectrometry (PS-MS) is an inexpensive, direct sampling strategy where a small volume of sample (<10 μL) is spotted onto a piece of paper that is then wetted and connected to high voltage. Ions are emitted from the paper and enter a mass spectrometer for sensitive and selective semi-quantitation using labeled internal standards. RESULTS: We present the use of PS-MS for the direct measurement of fentanyl and norfentanyl using a custom PS interface, demonstrating that paper tip position and quality can significantly affect quantitative results. Furthermore, we observe comparable calibrations for fentanyl and norfentanyl (0.5 to 600 ng/mL) across a variety of complex matrices (methanol, diluted urine, analgesic slurry). Detection limits for fentanyl are as low as 0.049 ng/mL (0.4 pg total material) in methanol, and 0.66 ng/mL (5.3 pg total material) spiked in an analgesic slurry (illicit substance simulation). PS-MS was compared with liquid chromatography-MS for the analyses of real urine samples, with satisfactory results. CONCLUSION: PS-MS shows potential as a sensitive and selective direct measurement strategy for use in fentanyl harm reduction strategies, and may also be used for pre-screening in advance of or in combination with more conventional (i.e., chromatographic) analyses.
Authors: Mariya A Shamraeva; Denis S Bormotov; Ekaterina V Shamarina; Konstantin V Bocharov; Olga V Peregudova; Stanislav I Pekov; Eugene N Nikolaev; Igor A Popov Journal: Molecules Date: 2022-01-30 Impact factor: 4.411
Authors: Henry West; John L Fitzgerald; Katherine L Hopkins; Michael G Leeming; Matthew DiRago; Dimitri Gerostamoulos; Nicolas Clark; Paul Dietze; Jonathan M White; James Ziogas; Gavin E Reid Journal: Drug Test Anal Date: 2022-05-23 Impact factor: 3.234