Application of the fentanyl analog screening kit toward the identification of emerging synthetic opioids in human plasma and urine by LC-QTOF. (1st March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Krajewski, Logan C.; Swanson, Kenneth D.; Bragg, William A.; Shaner, Rebecca L.; Seymour, Craig; Carter, Melissa D.; Hamelin, Elizabeth I.; Johnson, Rudolph C.
• Is Part Of: Toxicology letters. Volume 320(2020)
• Page Start: 87
• Page End: 94
• Publication Date: 2020-03-01
• Subjects: LC-QTOF -- Fentanyl analogs -- Synthetic opioids -- Fentanyl Analog Screening Kit -- Opioid; Toxicology -- Periodicals; 363.179
• DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2019.12.007
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0378-4274

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Highlights: A LC-QTOF method for detection of fentanyl analogs was developed for human urine and plasma matrices. A spectral library of 174 synthetic opioids and related compounds was created with assistance from FAS kits. Method was validated under SWGTOX guidelines for subset of 10 compounds and applied to analysis of CAP NOB survey samples. Abstract: Human exposures to fentanyl analogs, which significantly contribute to the ongoing U.S. opioid overdose epidemic, can be confirmed through the analysis of clinical samples. Our laboratory has developed and evaluated a qualitative approach coupling liquid chromatography and quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF) to address novel fentanyl analogs and related compounds using untargeted, data-dependent acquisition. Compound identification was accomplished by searching against a locally-established mass spectral library of 174 fentanyl analogs and metabolites. Currently, our library can identify 150 fentanyl-related compounds from the Fentanyl Analog Screening (FAS) Kit), plus an additional 25 fentanyl-related compounds from individual purchases. Plasma and urine samples fortified with fentanyl-related compounds were assessed to confirm the capabilities and intended use of this LC-QTOF method. For fentanyl, 8 fentanyl-related compounds and naloxone, lower reportable limits (LRL100 ), defined as the lowest concentration with 100 % true positive rate (n = 12) within clinical samples, were evaluated and range from 0.5 ng/mL to 5.0 ng/mL for urine and 0.25 ng/mL to 2.5 ng/mL in plasma. The application of this high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) method enables the real-time detection of known and emerging synthetic opioids present in clinical samples.