Analysis of Ecstasy Tablets Using Capillary Electrophoresis with Capacitively Coupled Contactless Conductivity Detection1. Issue 6 (21st July 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Porto, Suely K. S. S.; Nogueira, Thiago; Blanes, Lucas; Doble, Philip; Sabino, Bruno D.; do Lago, Claudimir L.; Angnes, Lúcio
• Is Part Of: Journal of forensic sciences. Volume 59:Issue 6(2014)
• Page Start: 1622
• Page End: 1626
• Publication Date: 2014-07-21
• Subjects: Medical jurisprudence -- Periodicals; Forensic sciences -- Periodicals; Forensic Medicine -- Periodicals; Gerechtelijke geneeskunde; Gerechtelijke chemie; Gerechtelijke psychiatrie; 363.2505
• DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.12573
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1198

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jfo12573-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>A method for the identification of 3, 4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and meta‐chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP) was developed employing capillary electrophoresis (CE) with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection (C⁴D). Sample extraction, separation, and detection of "<italic>Ecstasy"</italic> tablets were performed in &lt;10 min without sample derivatization. The separation electrolyte was 20 m<sc>m </sc>TAPS/Lithium, pH 8.7. Average minimal detectable amounts for MDMA and mCPP were 0.04 mg/tablet, several orders of magnitude lower than the minimum amount encountered in a tablet. Seven different <italic>Ecstasy</italic> tablets seized in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were analyzed by CE‐C⁴D and compared against routine gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS). The CE method demonstrated sufficient selectivity to discriminate the two target drugs, MDMA and mCPP, from the other drugs present in seizures, namely amphepramone, fenproporex, caffeine, lidocaine, and cocaine. Separation was performed in &lt;90 sec. The advantages of using C⁴D instead of traditional CE‐UV methods for in‐field analysis are also discussed.</p> </abstract>