How Science is Tackling Designer Drugs

Discover how cutting-edge analytical techniques are leading the fight against illicit designer drugs

1. WEBINAR: Insights into a Forensic Lab – Mass Spectrometry Beyond CSI

Comprehensive and reliable screening of human body fluids for the presence of drugs, toxicants, poisons and their metabolites is an increasingly challenging task. In this exclusive webinar, Dr. Jürgen Kempf, from the Freiburg Institute of Forensic Medicine, describes the use of two complementary LC-MS/MS technologies to address this issue. Watch webinar on-demand.

2. VIDEO: Targeted and Non-Targeted Approach to Screening Designer Drugs in Police Departments

Learn how mass spectrometry is helping scientists and the police detect the latest designer drugs. Dr Petur Dalsgaard, of the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, and a Waters Center of Innovation Program honoree, uses a range of Waters instruments, including the Xevo G2-S QTof and TQ-S for sensitive and robust screening to identify illicit substances. Watch video.

3. ARTICLE: Advances in Forensic Science: Could Mass Spec Have its Day in Court?

In this exclusive interview, Professor Victor Weedn, The George Washington University, describes the current technologies in forensic science and their use in the criminal justice system. Currently, there is a demand for valid analysis of difficult samples that will stand up as evidence in a court of law, and mass spectrometry may be the technology to solve this problem. Read more.

4. NEWS: Rapid Detection of Designer Drugs within the Routine Laboratory

Science needs to work hard to keep pace with clandestine designer drugs labs – that was the hard-hitting message delivered to delegates at AACC Clinical Lab Expo. Randox Toxicology highlighted the problem and outlined the requirement for a rapid and comprehensive designer drugs testing system to tackle the issue. Read more.

5. APPLICATION NOTE: Automated Direct Sample Analysis (DSA/TOF) for the Rapid Screening and Confirmation of Illicit Street Drugs

This application note describes a method using the AxION® 2 TOF MS, integrated with the AxION Direct Sample Analysis™ (DSA™) system, for screening various classes of street seized, illicit designer drugs, drugs of abuse and abused human growth hormones in solid and liquids. The method can also be used to detect metabolites in the urine of possible illicit drug offenders. Download method.

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