title: GC-PCI-MS/MS and LC-ESI-MS/MS databases for the detection of 104 psychotropic compounds (synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic cathinones, phenethylamine derivatives).
abstract: Designer psychotropic compounds continue to be a major problem in Japan and all around the world. Electron impact mass spectrometry (GC-EI-MS) and liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) data on these compounds have been widely reported. In this report, we present a detection method that has been rarely utilized to analyze these types of compounds, gas chromatography with positive chemical ionization and tandem mass spectrometry (GC-PCI-MS/MS). We report on the development of GC-PCI-MS/MS and LC-ESI-MS/MS databases of 104 psychotropic compounds, including 32 cannabinoid derivatives, 29 cathinone derivatives, 34 phenethylamine derivatives, and several other designer compounds. Using this database, we were able to detect 5 psychotropic compounds in an actual forensic autopsy case. If GC-PCI-MS/MS is used together with the more established methods of GC-EI-MS and LC-ESI-MS/MS, we believe the forensic toxicology community could be better prepared to deal with the challenges of these ever-changing compounds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka University, Japan.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Waters
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka University, Japan.
authors.forename: Natsuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ikematsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka University, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka University, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka University, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tokuyasu
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka University, Japan.
authors.forename: Mio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takayama
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka University, Japan.
authors.forename: Aya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsusue
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka University, Japan.
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kashiwagi
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka University, Japan. Electronic address: kuboshin@fukuoka-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Shin-Ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kubo
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000814:Aniline Compounds / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D062126:Databases, Chemical; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D000814:Aniline Compounds; D002186:Cannabinoids; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; C023665:cathinone
keywords: Chemical ionization; Forensic toxicology; Mass spectral database; Psychotropic compounds; Tandem mass spectrometry