Potential Marker for Smoked Methamphetamine Hydrochloride Based on a Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Quantification Method for trans-Phenylpropene

Abstract

Residue from smoked methamphetamine hydrochloride contains pyrolytic products that are detectable by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A validated GC-MS method was developed for the determination of trans-phenylpropene, a pyrolytic product of methamphetamine HCl, in residue of smoked drug as well as in human urine. trans-Phenylpropene and an isomeric internal standard, 2-phenylpropene, were extracted from urine using n-hexane. The method was validated for linearity over a range of 0.1-10 microg/mL with a limit of detection of 0.05 microg/mL, limit of quantification of 0.1 microg/mL, interday accuracy within 10.5%, intraday accuracy better than 3.7%, interday precision of 15.4%, intraday precision of 14.4%, and recovery of 89.1%. The method was applied to the detection of trans-phenylpropene found in the residue of methamphetamine HCl heated beyond its melting temperature on aluminum foil under simulated smoking conditions. The method is applicable to the detection of trans-phenylpropene in urine as a potential marker for smoked methamphetamine HCl abuse.

Application of a Pyroprobe to Simulate Smoking and Metabolic Degradation of Abused Drugs Through Analytical Pyrolysis*

“…There were two primary goals to this project: first, to detect smoked biomarkers using this method and second, to compare the pyrolytic products to reported metabolic degradation products. The important pyrolytic product of cocaine is anhydroecgonine methylester (AEME) (8–11) while that of methamphetamine is 1‐phenylpropene (12). The pyrolytic products obtained during the study were compared with products noted in the literature.…”

Pyrolysis of drugs of abuse: a comprehensive review

“…but the identification was not confirmed by reference standards. This paper led to others by the same group that focused on the 1‐phenylpropene as a marker specific to ingestion of methamphetamine by smoking . Assays were developed and demonstrated using headspace gas chromatography‐flame ionization detector (GC‐FID) of urine and extraction of blood followed by GC‐MS.…”

Characterization of the pyrolysis products of methiopropamine

“…[14,15] Characterizing the pyrolysis products is also useful for the identification of unique biomarkers for smoked drugs. [17] The pyrolysis of 4-methylmethcathinone (mephedrone) has been reported, but there is limited data on the pyrolysis of other new psychoactive substances (NPS). [16] trans-Phenylpropene has been identified as a possible biomarker for the ingestion of methamphetamine by smoking.…”

“…[16] trans-Phenylpropene has been identified as a possible biomarker for the ingestion of methamphetamine by smoking. [17] The pyrolysis of 4-methylmethcathinone (mephedrone) has been reported, but there is limited data on the pyrolysis of other new psychoactive substances (NPS). [18] In this study, methiopropamine was pyrolyzed under conditions that mimicked those used by recreational drug users.…”