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Fast & fluorinated – Development and validation of a rapid benchtop NMR approach and other routine screening methods for the detection and quantification of synthesized fluorofentanyl derivatives. Forensic Chem 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forc.2021.100321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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Salerno TMG, Donato P, Frison G, Zamengo L, Mondello L. Gas Chromatography-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy for Unambiguous Determination of Illicit Drugs: A Proof of Concept. Front Chem 2020; 8:624. [PMID: 32850646 PMCID: PMC7396574 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2020.00624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing number of synthetic molecules constantly introduced into the illicit drug market poses a great demand in terms of separation and identification power of the analytical tools. Therefore, forensic laboratories are challenged to develop multiple analytical techniques, allowing for the reliable analysis of illicit drugs. This goal is accomplished by means of spectroscopy measurements, usually after a separation step, consisting of liquid (LC) or gas (GC) chromatography. Within the wide range of hyphenated techniques, the coupling of GC to Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) provides a powerful identification tool, also allowing discriminating between isobars and isomers. In this research, the effectiveness of GC-FTIR is demonstrated, in achieving structure elucidation of 1-pentyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole, commonly known as JWH-018, a synthetic cannabinoid identified as component of illegal “incense blends.” Moreover, solid deposition FTIR enabled for boosting the sensitivity of the technique, over conventional flow (light pipe) cells, scaling down the limit of identification to the ng scale. Calibration curves for JWH-018 standard were obtained in the 20–1,000 ng range, and the limit of detection and limit of quantification were assessed as equal to 4.3 and 14.3 ng, respectively. Finally, the proposed methodology has been adopted for the identification of active principles in a real “street” sample seized by the law enforcement, consisting of an herbal matrix containing four different synthetic cannabinoids belonging to the JWH class. The correct identification of such compounds, with a high degree of chemical similarity, demonstrated the usefulness of the proposed approach for reliable analysis of complex mixtures of illicit drugs, as viable alternative to widespread mass spectrometry-based approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania M G Salerno
- BeSep S.r.l., c/o Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Paola Donato
- Department of Biomedical, Dental, Morphological and Functional Imaging Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Giampietro Frison
- Laboratory of Environmental Hygiene and Forensic Toxicology, DMPO Department, AULSS 3, Venice, Italy
| | - Luca Zamengo
- Laboratory of Environmental Hygiene and Forensic Toxicology, DMPO Department, AULSS 3, Venice, Italy
| | - Luigi Mondello
- BeSep S.r.l., c/o Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.,Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.,Chromaleont S.r.l., c/o Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.,Research Unit of Food Science and Nutrition, Department of Science and Technology for Humans and the Environment, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Haroun F, El Haitami A, Ober P, Backus EHG, Cantin S. Poly(ethylene glycol)- block-poly(propylene glycol)- block-poly(ethylene glycol) Copolymer 2D Single Network at the Air-Water Interface. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2020; 36:9142-9152. [PMID: 32686418 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c01398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
In this work, Langmuir monolayers based on poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(propylene glycol)-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG-PPG-PEG) triblock copolymer were in situ stabilized at the air-water interface in the presence of a cross-linking agent, benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxaldehyde (BTC), in the aqueous subphase. The reaction takes place through acid-catalyzed acetalization between the terminal hydroxyl groups of the copolymer and aldehyde functions of the BTC molecules. Mean area per repeat unit measurements as a function of the reaction time show a significant monolayer contraction associated with an increase in its compressibility modulus. In addition, Brewster angle microscopy observations indicate the appearance of higher-density two-dimensional domains, irreversibly formed at constant surface pressure. This is also confirmed on a smaller scale by atomic force microscopy (AFM). These arguments, consistent with copolymer monolayer cross-linking in acidic medium, are supported in situ at the air-water interface by sum-frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy. Furthermore, PEG-PPG-PEG monolayer cross-linking is not evidenced in alkaline medium, in coherence with the interfacial acid-catalyzed acetalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferhat Haroun
- LPPI, CY Cergy Paris Université, F95000 Cergy, France
| | | | - Patrick Ober
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Ellen H G Backus
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
- Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währinger Strasse 42, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Sophie Cantin
- LPPI, CY Cergy Paris Université, F95000 Cergy, France
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