10.6084/m9.figshare.963211.v3
Natasha Stojanovska
Natasha
Stojanovska
Mark Tahtouh
Mark
Tahtouh
Tamsin Kelly
Tamsin
Kelly
Alison Beavis
Alison
Beavis
Shanlin Fu
Shanlin
Fu
Presumptive analysis of 4-methylmethcathinone (mephedrone) using Desorption Electrospray Ionisation - Mass Spectrometry (DESI-MS)
Taylor & Francis Group
2014
re
Chemical analysis
pmma
mass spectrometry
sample preparation
ptfe
mmc
rsd
presumptive detection
novel drug analogues
Presumptive analysis
presumptive identification
ambient surfaces
analysing substances
Desorption Electrospray Ionisation
mass spectrometry technique
tandem MS
drug compounds
polyvinyl chloride
2014-09-15 09:00:26
Journal contribution
https://tandf.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Presumptive_analysis_of_4_methylmethcathinone_mephedrone_using_Desorption_Electrospray_Ionisation_Mass_Spectrometry_DESI_MS_/963211
<div><p>4-Methylmethcathione (4-MMC or mephedrone) is a prevalent drug of abuse globally. 4-MMC is often marketed as ‘bath salts’ and is readily available over the internet. The need for a rapid universal technique capable of detecting an extensive range of drug compounds has become increasingly important with the continued emergence of novel drug analogues. Desorption electrospray ionisation - mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) is a mass spectrometry technique that allows for the analysis of compounds directly from ambient surfaces, reducing or eliminating the need for sample preparation. Although 4-MMC has gained significant attention in recent years, the application of the DESI-MS technique to the fast presumptive detection and chemical analysis of this analogue has not been presented. In the present study, DESI-MS was applied to the rapid qualitative analysis of 4-MMC. A particularly suitable surface, semi-porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, Teflon) was utilised, as it generated the least variable signal and reproducibility compared to other surfaces (polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)). Selectivity of the technique to the detection of 4-MMC was evaluated by analysing a range of adulterated samples including mixtures containing caffeine, methylamphetamine, cathinone and paracetamol. Specificity based on tandem MS (MS/MS) was also demonstrated by analysing substances with the same molecular formula as 4-MMC. Accuracy (% RE) and precision (% RSD) of the method were found to be within 13% and 38%, respectively; and therefore the quantitative data provided by the DESI-MS method is limited compared to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS; accuracy < 13% and precision < 12%). The results suggest that DESI-MS can greatly aid in the rapid presumptive identification of 4-MMC and other similar novel drug analogues.</p></div>