Digital Classroom: Using MRM/Product Ion Scan Mode in GC-MS/MS to Perform Detection and Differentiation of Synthetic Cannabinoids

Forensic chemists face the challenge of identifying new psychoactive substances (NPS), whereby the general structures of controlled drugs are modified to evade legislative banning.

Hence, a plethora of synthetic cathinones and cannabinoids has been available to the public, causing a global social problem. It is therefore crucial that analytical methods are developed for identifying and differentiating new analogues of synthetic drug substances, to prevent potential trading and abuse. Additionally, drug legislation is made more challenging with the use of synthetic cannabinoid containing products, typically marketed as “herbal mixtures”, which consists of analogues of synthetic cannabinoids. In this study, simultaneous multi-reaction monitoring (MRM) and product ion scan (PIS) acquisition methods have been developed for detection and differentiation of isomeric synthetic cannabinoids.

Data were acquired using a GC-MS/MS system (GCMS-TQ8050, Shimadzu Corporation, Japan) in electron ionization mode. Two classes of synthetic cannabinoids were analysed. They are a mixture of JWH-018 (1-pentyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole) and its seven other structural isomers, and a mixture of four positional isomers of fluoro-PB-22 (Quinolin-8-yl 1-pentyfluoro-1H-indole-3-8-carboxylate).

Learning Objectives:

• Background of New Psychoactive Substance (NPS) and the types of synthetic cannabinoids

• Method development for the differentiation of eight structural isomers of JWH-018

• Method development for the differentiation of four positional isomers of Fluoro-PB-22

• Method applications on NPS-fortified samples

Presenter: Crystal Yeong (Ph.D.) (Senior Field Application Chemist, Shimadzu (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd)

Crystal Yeong is a senior field application chemist for GC and GCMS at Shimadzu (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd in Singapore. She has experience in forensic applications, nitrosamines impurities detection and PAH analyses in edible oils. Prior to joining Shimadzu, she was a lab analyst with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Singapore. Crystal holds a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry and B.Sc. in Chemistry & Biological Chemistry from Nanyang Technological University.