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Updated: Jun 28, 2026

High-throughput and Comprehensive Drug Surveillance Using Multisegment Injection-Capillary Electrophoresis-Mass Spectrometry
Published on: April 23, 2019
Identification of impurities and statistical classification of methamphetamine hydrochloride drugs seized in China
Jian Xin Zhang1, Da Ming Zhang, Xu Guang Han
1Forensic Medical Examination Center of Beijing Public Security Bureau, Beijing, China. zhangjianxin7292000@yahoo.com.cn
Abstract:
A total of 48 methamphetamine hydrochloride samples from eight seizures were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID). Major impurities detected include 1,2-dimethyl-3-phenylaziridine, ephedrine/pseudoephedrine, 1,3-dimethyl-2-phenylnaphthalene, 1-benzyl-3-methylnaphthalene. These data are suggestive of ephedrine/pseudoephedrine as the main precursor of the methamphetamine hydrochloride samples seized during 2006-2007. Additionally the presence of 1,3-dimethyl-2-phenylnaphthalene, 1-benzyl-3-methylnaphthalene is indicative that six seizures were synthesized via the more specific ephedrine/hydriodic acid/red phosphorus method. In addition, five impurities were found for the first time in methamphetamine hydrochloride samples. Seventeen impurity peaks were selected from the GC-FID chromatograms. The peak areas of the selected peaks were then grouped for cluster analysis.

