Large‐scale evaluation of ion mobility spectrometry for the rapid detection of synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists in infused papers in prisons

Abstract

Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs), colloquially known as “spice,” are commonly used in prisons and enter establishments via the mail in the form of infused papers. Many prisons use benchtop ion mobility spectroscopy (IMS) instruments to screen mail and seized materials for the presence of SCRAs and other controlled substances. The selectivity and sensitivity of Rapiscan Itemiser® 3E and Itemiser® 4DN Ion Trap Mobility Spectroscopy™ (ITMS™) systems were evaluated using 21 SCRA reference standards. Some differences in the SCRA reduced mobility (K0) values were observed between this study and those reported previously using IMS detection systems, particularly for cumyl and quinolinyl SCRAs (e.g., 5F‐PB‐22, Cumyl‐4CN‐BINACA, and 5F‐Cumyl‐PEGACLONE), although this was found to have little effect at an operational level. Operational reliability of the systems was evaluated by analyzing 392 paper and card samples with known drug content. ITMS™ system results (e.g., detect or nondetect) were in agreement with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis in up to 95% of samples tested. Overall, this study found the ITMS™ systems tested to be effective instruments when deployed for the rapid detection of SCRA‐infused papers. Used effectively and with up‐to‐date substance libraries, they will help reduce the supply of SCRAs into prisons and identify emerging threats as they arise. Several emerging SCRAs (5F‐MPP‐PICA, 5F‐EMB‐PICA, and 4F‐MDMB‐BICA) were detected for the first time in Scottish prisons between May and August 2020 as a result of routine monitoring, and all were detected using the ITMS™ systems tested.

Shape matters: The application of activity‐based in vitro bioassays and chiral profiling to the pharmacological evaluation of synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists in drug‐infused papers seized in prisons

“…4F‐MDMB‐BICA (methyl 2‐(([1‐(4‐fluorobutyl)‐1 H ‐indol‐3‐yl]carbonyl)amino)‐3,3‐dimethylbutanoate), the indole analogue of 4F‐MDMB‐BINACA (7) ; 5F‐EMB‐PICA (ethyl 2‐([1‐(5‐fluoropentyl)indole‐3‐carbonyl]amino)‐3‐methylbutanoate), an analogue of 5F‐MDMB‐PICA (6) ; and MMB‐4en‐PICA (17) , included in this study as an emerging compound, have been seized and reported to early warning systems in the United States 72–74 and Europe 75,76 . 5F‐EMB‐PICA and 4F‐MDMB‐BICA have been detected in Scottish prisons for the first time in May 2020 77 . Using the available CB 1 receptor structure–activity relationship (SAR) data for this class of SCRAs, we can begin to pre‐emptively evaluate/predict the relative potential for CB 1 ‐mediated harms of emerging compounds.…”

“…75,76 5F-EMB-PICA and 4F-MDMB-BICA have been detected in Scottish prisons for the first time in May 2020. 77 Using the available CB 1 receptor structure-activity relationship (SAR) data for this class of SCRAs, we can begin to preemptively evaluate/predict the relative potential for CB 1 -mediated harms of emerging compounds. This approach should be supported using in silico tools and utilizing the available ground-truth in vitro datasets to predict the pharmacological profiles of emerging and yet to emerge SCRA compounds.…”

A transnational perspective on the evolution of the synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists market: Comparing prison and general populations

“…Many of the seizures received for laboratory testing were pre‐screened using IMS in situ within the prisons and found to have a positive SCRA indication. The qualitative and quantitative screening methods used have been described previously 21,22 and involve qualitative analysis by gas‐chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) and orthogonal confirmation by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array and quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC‐PDA‐QTOF‐MS). Selected results for samples seized between June 2018 and February 2020 have been reported previously 21–23 .…”

The metabolism of the synthetic cannabinoids ADB‐BUTINACA and ADB‐4en‐PINACA and their detection in forensic toxicology casework and infused papers seized in prisons

“…Sample information and results for samples seized up to September 2020 have been reported previously. [13][14][15]19 Sample information and analytical data for the samples not reported previously are provided in Table S1. The extraction of SCRAs from infused papers and other materials and analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) has been described previously.…”