Drug Checking:

l’esperienza ed i dati

Alberto SALOMONE

NIGHTLIFE

NPS

EXTASY: Synthetic cathinones

LSD: NBOMe series

HEROIN: fentanyl and analogs

REPLACEMENT

DRUG CHECKING STRATEGY

SAMPLE unknown

substance

Description

Photo

RAPID

ANALYSIS

Known

substance

Report

to user

Unknown

substance

Quantitative

analysis by

GC-(LC)-MS

FINAL

REPORT

N.E.W.S.

NPS ?

• TLC

• GC-MS

• LC-MS

Drug checking techniques

Drug checking on-site techniques

• Colorimetric tests

• Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR)

• Raman Spectroscopy

Narcotics

Synthetic drugs

Cutting agents and precursor

TruNarc instrument

TruNarc: How does it work?

SCHEDULED COMPOUNDS

RESULTS

MIXTURE

GC/LC-MS: Methylone (26%)

4-FA (56%)

i. Colorimetric: MARQUIS/MANDELIN (no reaction)

ii. GC/LC-MS: Pseudoephedrine and Triprolidine

MgSO4

DRUG CHECKING

Raman Spectra and Lab Confirmation

NPS DETECTION

• Place: Turin, Piedmont

• Sample type: White powder

• User declaration: Speed (high-purity AMP)

DRUG CHECKING

i. Colorimetric: MARQUIS (soft pink), MANDELIN (green)

ii. RAMAN: 4-fluoroamphetamine (4-FA)

iii. GC/LC-MS: 4-fluoroamphetamine (4-FA)

DRUG CHECKING

Raman Spectra and Lab Confirmation

NPS DETECTION

• Place: Pisa, Tuscany

• Sample type: White blot

• User declaration: Lysergic acid amide (LSA)

DRUG CHECKING

i. Colorimetric: EHRLICH (no reaction)

ii. RAMAN: Inconclusive

iii. GC/LC-MS: 25B-NBOMe (1000 µg)

DRUG CHECKING

Raman Spectra and Lab Confirmation

NPS DETECTION

• Place: Perugia, Umbria

• Sample type: Red/black blot

• User declaration: LSD (125 µg)

DRUG CHECKING

i. Colorimetric: EHRLICH (no reaction)

ii. RAMAN: Inconclusive

iii. GC/LC-MS: 25I-NBOMe

DRUG CHECKING

Raman Spectra and Lab Confirmation

NPS DETECTION

• Place: Turin, Piedmont

• Sample type: Round blue pill (superman logo)

• User declaration: Mescaline + AMP

DRUG CHECKING

i. Colorimetric: MARQUIS/LIEBERMAN (no reaction)

ii.

iii.

RAMAN: Inconclusive

GC/LC-MS: 5-Meo-MiPT

(5-methoxy-N-methyl-N-isopropyltryptamine)

Not in TruNarc Library

64.4% (n=304)

0.5% (n=2)

8.0% (n=38)

27.1% (n=128)

DRUG CHECKING: SUMMARY RAMAN RESUTS (n= 472 samples)

Substance Number of cases Notes

Amphetamine (AMP) 11

MDMA 9

Heroin 4

LSD 3 Too fluorescent for Raman detection

Opium 1 Too fluorescent for Raman detection

Cocaine 1 Found in traces

Total traditional drugs 29 (42.6%)

Caffeine 8 Found alone or in combination with traces of AMP

Lidocaine 2

Modafinil 2 Not present in TruNarc library

Acetaminophen 1

Dipyrone 1

Metronidazole 1 Not present in TruNarc library

Levomepromazine 1 Not present in TruNarc library

Buprenorphine 1 In combination with lidocaine

Oxycodone 1

Total adulterants/diluents

pharmaceuticals

18 (26.5%)

5-MeO-MiPT 4 Not present in TruNarc library

2C-I 2 Blot samples

MXE 2

25B-NBOMe 2 Blot samples

25I-NBOMe 1

4-AcO-MET 1 Not present in TruNarc library

4-FA 1

2C-B 1

DOC 1 Blot sample

DOM 1 Blot sample

DMT 1 Dry herb

Pentylone 1

Total NPS 18 (26.5%)

Negative samples 3 (4.4%)

TOTAL SAMPLES 68 (100%)

DRUG : N° Positive

mAMP Heroin

NPS

TOTAL

106 samples

87 samples

51 samples

47 samples

2 samples

2 samples

9 samples

304 samples

DRUG CHECKING: SUMMARY

Alarm results

Identifications

MDMA

Ketamine

Cocaine

AmphetamMineephedrone, methylone,

4-FA, 4-MEC, DOC,

mexedrone, methoxyphenidine,

4-FA/methylone

DRUG CHECKING: fakes & hazards EXPECTED: FOUND:

MDMA

MDMA

MDMA

MDMA

MDMA

MDMA

MDMA

MDMA

MDMA

AMP

AMP

AMP AMP+mescaline

Ketamine

Ketamine

Methylone

Amphetamine (3 cases)

Metronidazole

Levomepromazine

Lidocaine (2 cases) Buprenorphine + Lidocaine

Dipyrone

Heroin - 36%!

5-MeO-MiPT Caffeine (7 cases) Methylone + 4-fluoroamphetamine

Modafinil

5-MeO-MiPT

Cocaine

Pseudoephedrine

DRUG CHECKING: fakes & hazards EXPECTED: FOUND:

25I-NBOMe

25B-NBOMe

25I-NBOMe

DOC

4-AcoMET Ketamine

2C-B

4-FA

Pentylone

2C-I

LSD

LSA

Solaris

Psilocybin

Tryptamine PMA

Mescaline

Legal High

Bk-2CB

NBOMe (to be continued….)

UNAWARE INTAKE HIGH RISK OF INTOXICATION

DECLARED MDMA: 121 samples

RAMAN: PROS

I. Specifity: Reliable identification based on substance-

specific Raman bands without user interpretation

II. Measurement of Mixtures: Cutting agents can be

identified next to active substance

III. Non-invasive Technique: Analysis through water, glass,

plastic bags

IV. Easy to use: no training/skilled personnel

RAMAN: CONS

I. Detection Limit: inconclusive results for samples with

substance concentration < 5-10 %

II. Disturbances: pill coating, dark samples and fluorescing

substances may cause issues

III. Library-based: unknown substances can not be identified

CONCLUSIONS: Drug checking by RAMAN

I. RAMAN is proving effective for rapid and safe

identification of pills/powders/liquids

II. Common drugs of abuse and precursors are easily

identified in a single test

III. Fake drugs/NPS can be identified

IV. High risk of (fatal) intoxication exists after unaware intake

of NPS (particularly for MDMA and LSD users)

V. Legal authorization/scientific support are urgently needed

GRAZIE!

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This presentation reflects the view only of the authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.