Chronicle of an unintentional MDMA intoxication of a field hockey team to prevent its qualification for the Beijing 2008 Olympics: A case report

Recent advances in mass spectrometry for the detection of doping

INTRODUCTION

The analysis of doping control samples is preferably performed by mass spectrometry, because obtained results meet the highest analytical standards and ensure an impressive degree of reliability. The advancement in mass spectrometry and all its associated technologies thus allow for continuous improvements in doping control analysis.

AREAS COVERED

Modern mass spectrometric systems have reached a status of increased sensitivity, robustness, and specificity within the last decade. The improved sensitivity in particular has, on the other hand, also led to the detection of drug residues that were attributable to scenarios where the prohibited substances were not administered consciously but rather by the unconscious ingestion of or exposure to contaminated products. These scenarios and their doubtless clarification represent a great challenge. Here, too, modern MS systems and their applications can provide good insights in the interpretation of dose-related metabolism of prohibited substances. In addition to the development of new instruments itself, software-assisted analysis of the sometimes highly complex data is playing an increasingly important role and facilitating the work of doping control laboratories.

EXPERT OPINION

The sensitive analysis and evaluation of a higher number of samples in a shorter time is made possible by the ongoing developments in mass spectrometry.

Analytical Approaches and Trends in the Determination of Psychoactive Drugs in Air

Understanding of the levels of psychoactive drugs in air is important for assessing both occupational and environmental exposure. Intelligence on the usage and manufacture of illegal drugs can also be gained. Environmental analysis and determination of air quality has recently expanded from its traditional focus to new pollutant categories that include illicit and psychoactive drugs. This is attributed to a greater part on the development of new, advanced techniques, such as liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS), allowing for the trace determination of such compounds down to the parts-per-trillion (ng/L) levels generally reported in air. Studies have also investigated the effects of firsthand and secondhand smoking of drugs, such as cocaine, cannabis and opium. Generally, these have shown secondhand smoke effects to be limited, apart from in the case of opium. Some studies have highlighted ill effects resulting through the exposure of vapors and dusts from the storage of drugs, but this has been shown to result from mould and other fungal contaminates. Investigations into the possible occupational exposures resulting from the use of anesthetic drugs in surgery and accident and emergency have focused on nitrous oxide, sevoflurane, methoxyflurane, isoflurane, propofol and fentanyl. This review focuses on developments and applications for the determination of psychoactive drugs in air.

Annual banned-substance review: Analytical approaches in human sports drug testing 2019/2020

Analytical chemistry-based research in sports drug testing has been a dynamic endeavor for several decades, with technology-driven innovations continuously contributing to significant improvements in various regards including analytical sensitivity, comprehensiveness of target analytes, differentiation of natural/endogenous substances from structurally identical but synthetically derived compounds, assessment of alternative matrices for doping control purposes, and so forth. The resulting breadth of tools being investigated and developed by anti-doping researchers has allowed to substantially improve anti-doping programs and data interpretation in general. Additionally, these outcomes have been an extremely valuable pledge for routine doping controls during the unprecedented global health crisis that severely affected established sports drug testing strategies. In this edition of the annual banned-substance review, literature on recent developments in anti-doping published between October 2019 and September 2020 is summarized and discussed, particularly focusing on human doping controls and potential applications of new testing strategies to substances and methods of doping specified the World Anti-Doping Agency's 2020 Prohibited List.