title: Profiling and classification of illicit heroin by ICP-MS analysis of inorganic elements.
abstract: Nineteen inorganic elements (Ag, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, P, Pb, Se, Sb, Th, Tl, U, V and Zn) in heroin samples were determined using inductive coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). After Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test and correlation analysis, 10 element contents (P, V, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Pb, U) and 7 element ratios (U/Ba, Ba/Pb, Cd/Mn, Co/Ni, V/Cr, P/V, Cd/V) were found to be evidently different between heroin samples from "Golden Crescent" and "Golden Triangle". Based on the data set of these 17 variables in 150 authentic heroin samples, classification of origins was successfully achieved utilizing principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). By comparison experiment on 907 unknown samples, the developed discriminant model was proven to be consistent with the widely used organic profiling method, and meanwhile the time consumed per sample was markedly saved, which facilitates high throughput screening in routine analysis.
authors.affiliation: College of Forensic Science, People's Public Security University of China, Beijing, China; Drug Intelligence and Forensic Center of Minister of Public Security, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Cuimei
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Drug Intelligence and Forensic Center of Minister of Public Security, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Zhendong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.affiliation: Drug Intelligence and Forensic Center of Minister of Public Security, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yanping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: College of Forensic Science, People's Public Security University of China, Beijing, China. Electronic address: liuyao1123@aliyun.com.
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
keywords: Heroin profiling; ICP-MS; Inorganic elements; Origin determination; PLS-DA