Novel GLC-based Methods for Isomeric Fentanyl Analogs

Monday, March 08, 2021: 2:10 PM - 2:30 PM

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Description

Opioid abuse and in particular fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, has been of concern in the last decade. The estimated economic burden from misuse of opioids was around $631 billion from 2015-2018 with the main contributor as mortality costs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports from 1999 to 2018, opioids were involved in 446,032 deaths. Research to date has focused on supporting law enforcement by developing methods suitable for chemical profiling and identifying these compounds from various matrices. However, methods geared towards analysis of isomers are rare. Analysis of isomers is challenging due to similar mass spectral fragmentation patterns and exhibiting co-elution using common GC columns. Developing methods to use in forensic labs utilizing already available equipment will advance current capabilities in the detection of fentanyls. Thus, investigation into alternative stationary phases and development of special gas-liquid chromatographic (GLC) based methods for isomeric fentanyl analogs could prove fruitful. In this study, we present GLC-based methods using ionic liquid phases to analyze isomeric fentanyl analogs. The potential for using ionic liquid phases to analyze real samples such as those obtained by law enforcement was also explored using in-house synthesized samples with methods common to home cooks. This project was supported by NIJ Award No. 2019-R2-CX-0043, awarded by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Justice.

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Additional Info

Keywords: Please select up to 4 keywords ONLY:
Enantiomeric Separations