Cocaine is a controlled substance and addictive drug, used and abused recreationally to take advantage of its stimulant effects. This drug increases levels of dopamine in the brain by inhibiting receptors and preventing the reuptake of the neurotransmitter. The presence of a large amount of dopamine in the brain causes feeling of alertness, euphoria, energy, and hypersensitivity. However, negative long-term effects, including death due to overdose, are possible, especially when co-administered with other drugs. Thus, the detection of cocaine is of great forensic and medical interest, as identification can aide in the determination of cause of death, treatment options, and appropriate enforcement of the law, in cases of illegal possession/administration. Gas chromatography and liquid chromatography methods currently exist for the detection of these metabolites, but these methods have limitations, including destruction of the sample. The purpose of this research is to determine a method for the detection of two major cocaine metabolites, benzoylecgonine and ecgonine methyl ester, using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry which is nondestructive, efficient, and provides high resolution and accuracy. These results will be compared to results from established GC-MS and HPLC methods to determine if the MALDI-TOF is safer, efficient, more accurate, or cost effective.

Method determination for the detection of cocaine metabolites in urine by MALDI-TOF-MS

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.