Analytical challenges in the confirmative identification of dipyrone as an adulterant in illicit drug samples.
Dipyrone is an analgesic and antipyretic drug that is sometimes encountered as an adulterant in illicit drug samples, particularly illicit fentanyl containing samples. It undergoes thermal decomposition to aminopyrine and 4-methylaminoantipyrine during analysis via gas chromatography (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). During analysis via high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and high pressure liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS), it undergoes hydrolytic decomposition solely to 4-methylaminoantipyrine. Given that mass spectrometry is a widely used confirmatory analytical technique, these instabilities present challenges for the forensic chemist seeking to confirm the presence of dipyrone. Studies were conducted to determine rigorous confirmative protocols for the identification of dipyrone in multicomponent illicit drug samples.
U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, Mid-Atlantic Laboratory, 1440 McCormick Drive, Largo, MD 20774, USA. Electronic address: richard_isaacs@verizon.net.
Richard C A
RCA
Isaacs
U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, Mid-Atlantic Laboratory, 1440 McCormick Drive, Largo, MD 20774, USA.
Michaela M
MM
Harper
U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, Mid-Atlantic Laboratory, 1440 McCormick Drive, Largo, MD 20774, USA.
Emily C
EC
Miller
D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004177:Dipyrone / Q000032:analysis*; D004340:Drug Contamination; D005283:Fentanyl / Q000737:chemistry; D053593:Forensic Toxicology; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000737:chemistry*; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization
D013287:Illicit Drugs; D004177:Dipyrone; D005283:Fentanyl
4-Methylaminoantipyrine; Adulterant; Aminopyrine; Dipyrone; Fentanyl; Mass Spectrometry