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Direct analysis of illicit drugs by desorption atmospheric pressure photoionization.

Kauppila TJ, Arvola V, Haapala M, Pól J, Aalberg L, Saarela V, Franssila S, Kotiaho T, Kostiainen R

Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, P.O. Box 56, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland. tiina.kauppila@helsinki.fi

The feasibility of desorption atmospheric pressure photoionization (DAPPI) in the direct analysis of illicit drugs was demonstrated by the analysis of confiscated drug samples of various forms such as tablets, blotter paper, and plant resin and bloom. 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), amphetamine, phenazepam, and buprenorphine were detected from the analyzed tablets, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and bromobenzodifuranylisopropylamine (bromo-Dragonfly, ABDF) from blotter paper, and Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabinol from Cannabis Sativa bloom and resin. The amphetamines, phenazepam and ABDF showed protonated molecules independent of the solvent used, whereas buprenorphine, LSD and the cannabinoids showed molecular ions with toluene and protonated molecules with acetone as the solvent.

Published 17 March 2008 in Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom, 22(7): 979-85.
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