title: Development of a GC-MS method for methamphetamine detection in Calliphora vomitoria L. (Diptera: Calliphoridae).
abstract: Entomotoxicology is the study of using insects for the detection of drugs and other chemical substances in decomposing tissues. One research aspect in particular is the effects of these substances on arthropod development and morphology, and their consequences on the post mortem interval estimation. Since methamphetamine (MA) is becoming commonplace as an illegal recreational drug, a GC-MS method for the detection of MA in Calliphora vomitoria L. (Diptera: Calliphoridae) was developed and validated. Furthermore, the effect of MA on the development, growth rates and survival of the blowfly was investigated. Larvae were reared on liver substrates homogeneously spiked with measured amounts of MA (5 ng/g and 10 ng/g) based on typical concentrations found in human tissue in cases of death caused by MA overdose. The experimental results demonstrated that (i) MA produced a significant increase in the developmental time from egg to adult in C. vomitoria, (ii) approximately 60% of larvae exposed to either dose of MA died during the pupation period and (iii) the resultant lengths of larvae and pupae were on average significantly larger than the controls.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Forensic Science, University of Western Australia, Crawley 6009, Australia. Electronic address: paola.magni@uwa.edu.au.
authors.forename: Paola A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Magni
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Turin, Via Pietro Giuria 5, Torino 10125 Italy. Electronic address: tommasopacini02@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pacini
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Turin, Via Pietro Giuria 5, Torino 10125 Italy. Electronic address: marco.pazzi@unito.it.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pazzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Turin, Via Pietro Giuria 5, Torino 10125 Italy. Electronic address: marco.vincenti@unito.it.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vincenti
authors.affiliation: Centre for Forensic Science, University of Western Australia, Crawley 6009, Australia. Electronic address: ian.dadour@uwa.edu.au.
authors.forename: Ian R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Dadour
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004175:Diptera / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development*; D004772:Entomology; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009294:Narcotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D011679:Pupa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D009294:Narcotics; D008694:Methamphetamine
keywords: Entomotoxicology; GC–MS; Methamphetamine