The use of opioids is on the rise nationwide, and a large contributor to this increased opioid abuse is synthetic opioids. Fentanyl is currently one of the deadliest synthetic opioids, with a potency 100 times that of morphine. There are also numerous fentanyl analogs, some of which that are used medicinally, however the bulk of analogs are illicitly synthesized. These analogs can be very hazardous, as they can have a greater potency or toxicity than fentanyl itself. The prevalence of fentanyl and fentanyl analogs is also a concern to first responders for unintentional exposure. Laboratory-based methods to detect fentanyl lack the portability and rapid response necessary for in-field detection. In this project, we are developing a rapid universal screening method for fentanyl and fentanyl analogs using electrochemistry. One of the metabolic reactions of fentanyl, which is an irreversible oxidative N-dealkylation is mimicable by the oxidation of fentanyl. Since fentanyl and fentanyl analogs have a similar structural backbone, we hypothesized that the analogs will undergo similar electrochemical reactions. We optimized the conditions and parameters to observe the irreversible oxidation peak for fentanyl, as well as demonstrated the quantification of fentanyl using three electrochemical techniques: cyclic voltammetry, square wave voltammetry, and differential pulse voltammetry. We also optimized the use of screen-printed electrodes (SPEs), as they will aid with in-field applications because of the low-cost and portability of SPEs. Recently, we performed the electrochemical characterization and quantification of several fentanyl analogs as proof-of-concept for the universal detection of fentanyl and fentanyl analogs. The analogs tested are commonly observed by the DEA, such as acetylfentanyl, acrylfentanyl, methoxyacetyl fentanyl, THF fentanyl, and furanyl fentanyl, along with medicinal fentanyl analogs such as sufentanil, alfentanil, and remifentanil. Additional fentanyl analogs will be characterized in the future to further demonstrate the universality of the proposed detection method of fentanyl and fentanyl analogs.

Towards a rapid electrochemical screening analysis of fentanyl and fentanyl analogs

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