Ion mobility spectrometry and high resolution mass-spectrometry as methodologies for rapid identification of the last generation of new psychoactive substances.

A new drug trafficking trend has been observed in the last years by the introduction in the black market of new psychoactive substances (NPS) in order to difficult competent authority controls. In this study, ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) and high-resolution mass-spectrometry (HRMS) were proposed as vanguard and rearguard methodologies for the rapid identification of the last generation of NPS in seizures. The combined use of IMS and HRMS has been evaluated through the analysis of 24 NPS seized from 2016 to 2018 in Valencia (Spain) to demonstrate the utility of this approach. The characteristic reduced mobility (K0) values for seized NPS were determined and mass-mobility relationships were proposed and evaluated for the main NPS families: amphetamine and cathinone derivatives, and synthetic cannabinoids. IMS did not allow a unequivocal identification by itself; so, HRMS analysis was employed as rearguard confirmation methodology for the right identification of NPS. Thus, the combined use of IMS and HRMS can be considered as promising alternative for the rapid screening and identification of NPS in seizures.