Analytical Challenges in Detecting New Psychoactive Substances in Anti-Doping: A Proof-of-Concept Involving
D Kwiatkowska1,2, B Peta2, K Grucza1
1PolishAnti-Doping Laboratory, Warsaw, Poland.
Drug Testing and Analysis
|February 19, 2026
Summary
This study developed a method to identify a key metabolite of new psychoactive substances (NPS) like pentedrone. Custom synthesis of a certified reference material (CRM) enabled accurate detection in doping control.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Chemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
- Toxicology
Background:
- New psychoactive substances (NPS) present significant global public health and forensic challenges due to their rapid emergence and structural diversity.
- Analytical detection and toxicological assessment of NPS are complicated by their legal ambiguity and limited research on their metabolism.
- Ethical constraints on human administration studies hinder the development of essential reference standards for NPS metabolites.
