Combining surface ‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy and paper spray mass spectrometry for the identification and confirmation of psychotropic substances in alcoholic beverages

AbstractCriminal practices in which an individual becomes vulnerable and prone to sexual assault after ingesting drinks spiked with doping substances have become a social concern globally. As forensic protocols require a multi-tiered strategy for chemical evidentiary analysis, the backlog of evidence has become a significant problem in the community. Herein, a fast, sensible, and complementary dual analytical methodology was developed using a single commercial paper substrate for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and paper spray mass spectrometry (PS-MS) analysis to identify psychotropic substances added to alcoholic beverages irrefutably. To study and investigate this criminal practice, pharmaceutical formulations containing distinct psychotropic substances (zolpidem, clonazepam, diazepam, and ketamine) were added to drinks typically consumed at parties and festivals (Pilsen beer, a çaí Catuaba®, gin tonic, and vodka mixed with Coca-Cola Zero®). A simple liquid–liquid extraction with a low-temperature partitioning (LLE-LTP) procedure was applied to the drinks and effectively minimized matrix effects. As a preliminary analysis, SERS spectra combined with Hierarchical Clust ering Analysis (HCA) provided sufficient information to investigate the samples further. The presence of the protonated species for the psychotropic substances in the spiked drinks was readily verified in the mass spectra and confirmed by tandem mass spectrometry. Finally, the results demonst...
Source: Journal of Mass Spectrometry - Category: Chemistry Authors: Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research