Quick Test for Determination of N-Bombs (Phenethylamine Derivatives, NBOMe) Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography: A Comparison between Photodiode Array and Amperometric Detection
H. Elbardisy, Christopher W. Foster, Jack Marron, Ryan E Mewis, Oliver B Sutcliffe, T. Belal, W. Talaat, H. G. Daabees, Craig E Banks
ACS Omega August 29, 2019 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b01366 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Method development and validation Peer reviewed |
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| Key points | A high-performance liquid chromatography method with either photodiode array or amperometric detection can simultaneously detect and quantify four NBOMe derivatives in bulk form and on simulated blotter papers, with detection limits as low as 4.6 μg mL⁻¹. |
Abstract
The emergence of a new class of novel psychoactive substances, N-benzyl-substituted phenethylamine derivatives so-called “NBOMes” or “Smiles”, in the recreational drug market has forced the development of new sensitive analytical methodologies for their detection and quantitation. NBOMes’ hallucinogenic effects mimic those of the illegal psychedelic drug lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and are typically sold as LSD on blotter papers, resulting in a remarkable number of fatalities worldwide. In this article, four halide derivatives of NBOMe, namely, 2-(4-fluoro-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)ethan-1-amine, 2-(4-chloro-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)ethan-1-amine, 2-(4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)ethan-1-amine, and 2-(4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)ethan-1-amine, were detected and quantified simultaneously using a high-performance liquid chromatographic method, and two detection systems were compared: photodiode array detection (detection system I) and amperometric detection via a commercially available impinging jet flow-cell system incorporating embedded graphite screen-printed macroelectrodes (detection system II). Under optimized experimental conditions, linear calibration plots were obtained in the concentration range of 10–300 and 20–300 μg mL–1, for detection systems I and II, respectively. Detection limit (limit of detection) values were between 4.6–6.7 and 9.7–18 μg mL–1, for detection systems I and II, respectively. Both detectors were employed for the analysis of the four NBOMe derivatives in the bulk form, in the presence of LSD and adulterants commonly found in street samples (e.g. paracetamol, caffeine, and benzocaine). Furthermore, the method was applied for the analysis of simulated blotter papers, and the obtained percentage recoveries were satisfactory, emphasizing its advantageous applicability for the routine analysis of NBOMes in forensic laboratories.