Identification and determination of synthetic cannabinoids in herbal products by dry film attenuated total reflectance-infrared spectroscopy.
A new procedure has been developed for the identification and quantitative determination of synthetic cannabinoids in illicit herbal preparations. The methodology is based on the use of attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) measurement of sample extracts with 2-propanol drying 5µL of the extracts onto the ATR crystal. The qualitative identification was carried out on the 2-propanol extract after identification of the herbal matrix, followed by its subtraction and using a cut-off criterion of 75%. Quantitative determination was made by univariate calibration using the absorbance of the band located at 1520cm-1of the spectrum. Four different cannabinoids, RCS-4, JWH-210, UR-144 and JWH-081 were used as test analytes and the ATR-FTIR method provided limits of quantification from 14 till 79mgL-1. Sized blank market samples were successfully identified and UR-144 quantified.
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Research Building, University of Valencia, Dr Moliner 50, E-46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.
Victor
V
de la Asunción-Nadal
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Research Building, University of Valencia, Dr Moliner 50, E-46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain. Electronic address: sergio.armenta@uv.es.
Sergio
S
Armenta
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Research Building, University of Valencia, Dr Moliner 50, E-46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.
Salvador
S
Garrigues
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Research Building, University of Valencia, Dr Moliner 50, E-46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.
Miguel
M
de la Guardia
D002138:Calibration; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared / Q000379:methods*
D002186:Cannabinoids; D010936:Plant Extracts
ATR-FTIR; Dry film; New psychoactive substances; Quantification; Synthetic cannabinoids