Drug screening in pharmaceutical and forensic applications using extractive-liquid sampling electron ionization-mass...

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Forensic Science
• Pharmaceutical Analysis

Background:

• Real-time results are crucial in pharmaceutical and forensic applications.
• Existing analytical methods often lack speed and simplicity.
• Novel techniques are needed for rapid, on-site analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce Extractive-liquid Sampling Electron Ionization-Mass Spectrometry (E-LEI-MS) as a novel analytical technique.
• To evaluate E-LEI-MS for the rapid detection of active pharmaceutical ingredients and excipients in industrial drugs.
• To assess E-LEI-MS for forensic applications, specifically the detection of benzodiazepines.

Main Methods:

• E-LEI-MS was used for direct analysis of 20 industrial drugs without pre-treatment.
• The system was coupled with high-resolution MS to analyze 20 benzodiazepines.
• Benzodiazepine cocktails were fortified on glass surfaces to simulate forensic scenarios.

Main Results:

• E-LEI-MS successfully identified active pharmaceutical ingredients and excipients in various drug formulations.
• Accurate identification of 20 benzodiazepines was achieved using the coupled system.
• The technique demonstrated efficacy in detecting benzodiazepine residues on glass surfaces.

Conclusions:

• E-LEI-MS offers a rapid (<5 minutes) and simple analytical approach.
• The technique is suitable for real-time screening in pharmaceutical and forensic settings.
• E-LEI-MS provides high identification power for qualitative data acquisition.