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Color Spot Test As a Presumptive Tool for the Rapid Detection of Synthetic Cathinones
Published on: February 5, 2018
26.8K
Cathinone stability in authentic urine specimens.
Lindsay Glicksberg1, Sumandeep Rana2, Sarah Kerrigan3
1Department of Forensic Science, Sam Houston State University, 1003 Bowers Blvd., Huntsville, TX 77341, USA; Dallas County Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences, 2355 N Stemmons Fwy, Dallas, TX 75207, USA.
Forensic Science International
|March 21, 2018
Summary
Synthetic cathinone stability in urine is critically dependent on pH, not just storage time. Forensic toxicologists must consider specimen pH for accurate interpretation of drug concentrations.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Toxicology
- Analytical Chemistry
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Synthetic cathinones are frequently encountered in forensic toxicology.
- Previous studies explored cathinone stability in fortified urine, focusing on variables like pH and temperature.
- This study validates those findings using authentic user urine samples.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare experimental cathinone stability data with findings from authentic urine specimens.
- To assess the influence of storage time and pH on cathinone concentrations in real-world samples.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 180 authentic urine specimens containing cathinones.
- Utilized Liquid Chromatography Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (LC-Q/TOF-MS) for targeted analysis of 22 cathinones.
- Compared quantitative results after 5-17 months of refrigerated storage in specimens with pH ranging from 4.5 to 10.
Main Results:
- 164 quantitative findings for cathinones including α-PVP, ethylone, methylone, MDPV, and pentylone.
- Drug recovery ranged from 0-119%, significantly correlated with specimen pH and storage time.
- Specimen pH was a more critical predictor of cathinone stability than storage duration, especially under acidic conditions.
Conclusions:
- Cathinone stability in biological samples is highly pH-dependent, aligning with previous experimental data.
- Pre-analytical factors, particularly urine pH, significantly impact cathinone concentrations.
- Careful consideration of specimen pH is essential for accurate interpretation of forensic toxicology results.
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