Detection and classification of fentanyl and its precursors by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Forensic Science
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• The opioid epidemic is exacerbated by clandestine fentanyl production.
• Detecting fentanyl and its analogs is critical for law enforcement and public health.
• Traditional analytical methods struggle to differentiate similar fentanyl compounds.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a sensitive analytical technique for detecting fentanyl and its precursors.
• To differentiate between fentanyl and structurally similar compounds.
• To support efforts in controlling the illicit drug trade.

Main Methods:

• Utilized surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for high sensitivity detection.
• Employed a microfluidic device for sample handling.
• Developed a chemometric approach using hierarchical partial least squares-discriminant analysis (HPS-DA).

Main Results:

• Successfully detected fentanyl, despropionylfentanyl (4ANPP), and N-phenethyl-4-piperidinone (NPP).
• Achieved distinction between analytes with highly similar vibrational spectra.
• Demonstrated the efficacy of SERS combined with HPS-DA for complex mixture analysis.

Conclusions:

• The developed SERS-based method offers a powerful tool for identifying fentanyl and its precursors.
• Chemometric analysis is essential for resolving spectral similarities among fentanyl analogs.
• This technique can aid in the identification of illicit substances and support the fight against the opioid crisis.