title: Qualitative screening of new psychoactive substances in pooled urine samples from Belgium and United Kingdom.
abstract: Concerns about new psychoactive substances (NPS) are increasing due to the rising frequency of serious intoxications. Analysis of biological fluids (urine) is necessary to get reliable information about the use of these substances. However, it is a challenging task due to the lack of analytical standards and the dynamic character of the NPS market. In the present work, a qualitative screening of NPS was carried out in 23 pooled urine samples collected from a city center in the UK and festivals in the UK and Belgium. The analytical method was based on data-independent acquisition mode using liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. An in-house library was used with >1500 entries corresponding to NPS, classical drugs and metabolites. All samples contained 53 and 28 compounds of interest from the UK and Belgium respectively. Of the different compounds detected, about 70% were confirmed using retention time and product ions while the remaining compounds were identified using elucidated fragmentation pathways. The highest numbers of NPS identified in both countries were from the cathinone and phenylethylamine families, with a higher number being detected in samples from the festival in the UK. Moreover, several cathinone metabolites in human urine were detected and identified. The screening method proved useful to detect a large number of compounds and determine the use of NPS.
authors: Toxicological Center, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Campus Drie Eiken, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium.
authors: Juliet
authors: J
authors: Kinyua
authors: Toxicological Center, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Campus Drie Eiken, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium.
authors: Noelia
authors: N
authors: Negreira
authors: TICTAC Communications Ltd., St George's University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London SW170RE, United Kingdom.
authors: Bram
authors: B
authors: Miserez
authors: KWR Watercycle Research Institute, Chemical Water Quality and Health, P.O. Box 1072, 3430 BB Nieuwegein, The Netherlands.
authors: Ana
authors: A
authors: Causanilles
authors: KWR Watercycle Research Institute, Chemical Water Quality and Health, P.O. Box 1072, 3430 BB Nieuwegein, The Netherlands.
authors: Erik
authors: E
authors: Emke
authors: Programme Drugs, Operational Direction of Public health and Surveillance, Scientific Institute for Public Health, Juliette Wytsmanstraat 14, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Lies
authors: L
authors: Gremeaux
authors: KWR Watercycle Research Institute, Chemical Water Quality and Health, P.O. Box 1072, 3430 BB Nieuwegein, The Netherlands; Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94248, 1090 GE Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Pim
authors: P
authors: de Voogt
authors: TICTAC Communications Ltd., St George's University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London SW170RE, United Kingdom.
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Ramsey
authors: Toxicological Center, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Campus Drie Eiken, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium.
authors: Adrian
authors: A
authors: Covaci
authors: Toxicological Center, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Campus Drie Eiken, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium. Electronic address: alexander.vannuijs@uantwerpen.be.
authors: Alexander L N
authors: ALN
authors: van Nuijs
mesh_terms: D001530:Belgium; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine*; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods*; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs
keywords: Biomarkers; Festivals; LC-QTOFMS; Novel psychoactive substances; Pooled urine analysis; α-PVP metabolites