A remarkable 90% detection rate for lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) was achieved using advanced mass spectrometry techniques in forensic toxicology. In a sample of 200 cases, this analytical chemistry method demonstrated a detection limit significantly lower than traditional chromatography approaches. By improving the accuracy of drug analysis, this work enhances our understanding of psychedelics and their biochemical interactions. Published in a leading analytical chemistry journal, these findings could revolutionize drug studies and enhance public safety measures regarding illicit substances.
Discarded screen-printed electrodes can be recoated with a graphite and chitosan mixture to create a reusable sensor for detecting the recreational drug 2C-B in oral fluid and seized samples. The sensor, called SPE-Gr/CTS, detects 2C-B electrochemically with a linear range from 0.05 to 7.5 μmol L⁻¹ and a detection limit of 0.015 μmol L⁻¹. Responses are stable across different electrodes, with relative standard deviation below 5.0%. The method is selective for 2C-B even when seventeen other illicit drugs or adulterants are present. Real seized and oral fluid samples were analyzed, and results matched those from LC-MS. The device offers a rapid, portable, and environmentally friendly screening tool for forensic analysis, using only 50 μL of sample.