Journal of Forensic Sciences
January 1, 2023
Ori Gutman, Dana Tenne, Uriel Bretler
2 citations
Routine analysis of an illicit drug sample unexpectedly showed both 4-acetoxy-DMT and psilocin. The authors hypothesized that the base used in sample preparation, not a true mixture, caused 4-acetoxy-DMT to hydrolyze into psilocin. Testing with ammonium hydroxide, pyridine, and sodium hydroxide confirmed that stronger bases (higher pH) increased the psilocin-to-4-acetoxy-DMT ratio, supporting degradation. Thermal decomposition was ruled out because 4-acetoxy-DMT remained stable at 200°C, the GC injection port temperature. The finding demonstrates how pre-injection laboratory procedures can inadvertently alter casework samples, urging caution in selecting reagents and processes for GC-MS analysis of such substances.
Journal of Forensic Sciences
September 21, 2025
Sarah A. Shuda
1 citation
LSD and related compounds are often present at low concentrations on forensic evidence, requiring sensitive detection methods. The inlet liner of a gas chromatograph—a consumable component that vaporizes samples—can affect how well these compounds are detected. Testing twelve different liners with a mixture of eight LSD-related compounds showed that liners containing packing material (like glass wool) produced significantly larger peak areas than unpacked liners. Liner geometry had a minor effect, only mattering with one deactivation type when glass wool was absent. Base deactivation improved peak area over standard and Topaz deactivation in straight packed liners.
Journal of Forensic Sciences
September 1, 2024
Amy L Patton, Erin L Karschner, Jeffrey P Walterscheid et al.
1 citation
A validated LC-MS/MS method can detect LSD, its primary metabolite OH-LSD, and nine LSD analogs in urine with a limit of detection of 0.1 ng/mL. The method uses automated sample preparation and a modified analytical column and gradient. Analysis of 325 urine specimens found no LSD analogs, but the procedure is suitable for laboratories expanding their testing scope. Automated preparation reduces manual handling without increasing analytical time. Detection may improve as reference standards for metabolic products become available. The validated procedure supports routine analysis and surveillance of these emerging substances.
Journal of Forensic Sciences
February 12, 2026
Thomas Sheehan, Hilary J Hamnett, Sarah G. G. Russell et al.
MDMA (ecstasy) is used by 4.8% of New Zealanders aged 15 or older. In coronial cases (131 positive for MDMA), the average blood concentration was 0.88 mg/L; in driving-under-the-influence cases (193 positive), the average was 0.23 mg/L. Over 85% of cases also involved other drugs, most often cannabis and alcohol. Drug seizures averaged 71% purity, with capsules being the purest. The data inform forensic toxicology and drug policy.
Journal of Forensic Sciences
November 18, 2025
Bogumiła Byrska, Karolina Masier, Roman Stanaszek
Ecstasy tablets shaped as "Stormtrooper" heads seized in Poland between 2020 and 2021 contained not only MDMA but also MDA and, for the first time in Polish seizures, a novel phenylethylamine derivative called MDDM. MDDM is a methyl analogue of MDMA and a dimethyl analogue of MDA with limited pharmacological data and reportedly mild psychoactive effects, likely arising as a by-product of illicit MDMA synthesis. Quantitative analysis showed MDA in the highest concentrations per tablet (26–74 mg), followed by MDDM (11–28 mg) and MDMA (3–11 mg). Although MDDM alone is considered low potency, its co-occurrence with other phenylethylamines may produce synergistic effects and increase toxicity. These findings highlight the unpredictable composition of street drugs and the need for continuous forensic monitoring.
Journal of Forensic Sciences
March 1, 2025
Eun-Mi Hwang, Kyu-Sik Jeong, Seong Yeon Yoo et al.
A full-length transcriptome of Lophophora williamsii (peyote) was generated using single-molecule real-time PCR and PacBio Iso-Seq, yielding 2,839,819 base pairs of long reads and 70,945 unigenes. Known genes in the mescaline biosynthetic pathway were confirmed, including 6 tyrosine decarboxylases, 1 tyrosine/DOPA decarboxylase, 215 O-methyltransferases, and 129 hydroxylases. Gene Ontology analysis identified 2903 biological processes, 695 cellular components, and 1766 molecular functions. KEGG pathway analysis linked phenylpropanoid and isoquinoline biosynthesis to mescaline production. Illumina Nova sequencing compared gene expression between mescaline-positive and mescaline-negative specimens to establish a candidate gene pool. The findings call for re-evaluation of forensic methods and legal regulations for newly identified L. williamsii specimens.
Journal of Forensic Sciences
March 1, 2018
Kaori Shintani-Ishida, Kanju Saka, Mami Nakamura et al.
A rat model shows that the concentration of the drug 25B-NBOMe in cardiac blood can increase more than tenfold within six hours after death, even when the drug was given a week earlier. The drug accumulates mainly in the lungs. This postmortem redistribution means that toxicological analyses of 25B-NBOMe must account for sampling time and location to avoid misinterpretation.
Journal of Forensic Sciences
September 1, 2017
James W Rajotte, Jean-Paul F P Palmentier, Helena Rachelle Wallage
A driver arrested after leaving the scene of multiple collisions and evading police was evaluated by a drug recognition expert and failed the evaluation. The driver admitted using cocaine, marijuana, an antidepressant, and "N-bomb," a hallucinogenic novel psychoactive substance. Toxicological analysis of the driver's urine at the Centre of Forensic Sciences' Toronto laboratory detected only 25C-NBOMe. This is the first reported case where 25C-NBOMe was identified through a drug recognition evaluation and toxicological analysis in a drug-impaired driver.
Journal of Forensic Sciences
July 1, 2017
Enrico Gerace, Elena Bovetto, Daniele Di Corcia et al.
Diphenidine, a dissociative drug, can cause euphoria, hallucinations, and anterograde amnesia. A 30-year-old man was hospitalized in a confused and agitated state after taking it. He had a rapid heart rate, small pupils, and elevated body temperature and breathing rate. Diphenidine was found in his plasma at 308 ng/mL and urine at 631 ng/mL; methylphenidate and diclazepam were also present. His symptoms resolved with symptomatic treatment. The case indicates acute intoxication from recreational diphenidine abuse.
Journal of Forensic Sciences
September 1, 2015
Paul J. Perry, Kristian Fredriksen, Stephanie Chew et al.
A single 120 mg dose of dextromethorphan, the maximum recommended daily dose, does not impair driving performance or increase failures on a standardized field sobriety test compared to a 400 mg dose of guaifenesin. Forty healthy adults completed a crossover trial using a driving simulator and field sobriety tests one hour after taking the drug. Doses higher than 120 mg are needed to affect driving behavior. Dextromethorphan is commonly abused by adolescents for its dissociative effects, but at the maximum therapeutic dose it does not appear to compromise driving ability.
Journal of Forensic Sciences
January 1, 2015
Piotr Adamowicz, Dariusz Zuba
A 29-year-old man died from an unintentional overdose of methoxetamine (MXE), a synthetic drug related to ketamine. Analysis of his urine showed 85 μg/mL of MXE. Although the blood sample vial broke during transport, the blood concentration was estimated at 5.8 μg/mL by measuring the drug absorbed into the cardboard packaging. The high levels of MXE in both blood and urine, along with the circumstances, point to fatal intoxication.
Journal of Forensic Sciences
May 1, 2014
Albert A. Elian, Jeffery Hackett
A driver under the influence of multiple drugs was found to have 10 ng/mL of methoxetamine in whole blood, along with clonazepam, 7-aminoclonazepam, carboxy-THC, diphenhydramine, and MDMA. Methoxetamine, a dissociative drug, was isolated using solid phase extraction and analyzed by LC–MS/MS and GC–MS. The case report describes the background, field sobriety tests, sampling, and analysis, discussing the results in the context of driving impairment.
Journal of Forensic Sciences
July 1, 2011
Ming J Jin, Changbae Jin, Jin Y Kim et al.
A method using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was developed and validated to detect the designer hallucinogen 5-MeO-DIPT and two of its metabolites in rat urine. The technique involved protein precipitation with acetonitrile, chromatographic separation on a C18 column with a methanol-water-formic acid gradient, and multiple-reaction monitoring mass spectrometry. The assay showed a linear range of 0.01-10 μg/mL and a lower limit of quantification of 10 ng/mL for all analytes, with acceptable accuracy and precision. The method was successfully applied to urine from rats given the drug.
Journal of Forensic Sciences
September 1, 2009
Barry K. Logan
Dextromethorphan, a common cough suppressant, is increasingly abused for its hallucinogenic and dissociative effects at high doses. In a series of twelve drivers arrested for driving under the influence, eight had taken dextromethorphan with chlorpheniramine, and four had taken dextromethorphan alone. Blood concentrations of dextromethorphan ranged from 150 to 1220 ng/mL in combined cases and 190 to 1000 ng/mL in dextromethorphan-only cases. Drivers showed signs of central nervous system depression, including impaired driving behaviors such as weaving, lane departure, and collisions. Drug recognition experts confirmed the drivers were under the influence of a CNS-depressant drug.