No abstract

Ambient mass spectrometry has been demonstrated, via various proof-of-concept studies, to offer a powerful, rather universal, simple, fast, nondestructive, and robust tool in forensic chemistry, producing reliable evidence at the molecular level. Its nearly nondestructive nature also preserves the sample for further inquiries. This feature article demonstrates the applicability of ambient mass spectrometry in forensic chemistry and explains the challenges that need to be overcome for this technique to make the ultimate step from the academic world into forensic institutes worldwide. We anticipate that the many beneficial and matching figures of merit will bring forensic chemistry and ambient mass spectrometry to a long-term relationship, which is likely to get strongly consolidated over the years.

No abstract

Cocaine and crack cocaine are usually seized with a great diversity of adulterants, such as benzocaine, lidocaine, caffeine, and procaine. The forensic identification of cocaine in these drug mixtures is normally performed using colorimetric testing kits, but these tests may suffer from interferences providing false-positive or false-negatives. In this work, we describe the use of thin layer chromatography coupled to easy sonic-spray ambient ionization mass spectrometry (TLC/EASI-MS) for rapid and secure analysis of cocaine and crack cocaine. Fifteen cocaine samples were analyzed, and all of them revealed positive TLC/EASI-MS results for cocaine, but other drugs and adulterants were also detected such as lidocaine, caffeine, benzocaine, lactose, benzoylecgonine, and ecgonidine. False positives and false negatives, as judged by the TLC Rf values, were identified via on-spot characterization by EASI-MS. The TLC/EASI-MS combination seems therefore to provide an appropriate technique for secure forensic investigations of illicit drugs

No abstract