A synergetic approach based on infrared spectroscopy and ion mobility spectrometry for the analysis of seized blotters: Boosting performance

• Published in: Microchemical journal 2022-10, Vol.181, p.107810, Article 107810
• Main Authors: Gallart-Mateu, D., Béjar-Grimalt, J., Esteve-Turrillas, F.A., Armenta, S., Garrigues, S., de la Guardia, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Attenuated total reflection-infrared spectroscopy; Impregnated blotters; Ion mobility spectrometry; New psychoactive substances; Psychedelic substances
• ISSN: 0026-265X; 1095-9149
• DOI: 10.1016/j.microc.2022.107810

[Display omitted] •Synergistic strategy based on the ATR-FTIR and IMS for NPS identification.•Discriminating power was remarkably improved after data combination.•Fast and simple identification of NBOMe, 2C-X and NBOH in blotters.•Limit of detection values of the order of few µg per blotter. A synergetic strategy based on the combination of attenuated total reflection-infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) information have been proposed for the analysis of new psychoactive substances (NPS) in seized blotters. Firstly, the discriminating capability of each technique was separately studied and, secondly, the results obtained after combination of the information provided by both techniques were evaluated. It has been demonstrated that the discriminating power was remarkably improved after data combination, indicating a synergetic effect of the analytical approach. The proposed method allowed a first-class identification of NPS on blotter samples by ATR-FTIR by using a spectral library containing around 1000 compounds after paper matrix subtraction. The analysis of blotters after 2-propanol extraction by IMS allowed NPS identification by comparison of the reduced mobility constant with those of a database of NPS standards. The proposed strategy was evaluated with 11 blotter samples that contained DOC, 25I-NBOH, 25E-NBOH, DOM, and LSD, providing the same identity that high resolution mass spectrometry employed as reference methodology. Moreover, determination of NPS by IMS provided results statistically comparable to those obtained by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Therefore, the synergetic combination of ATR-FTIR and IMS allows a simple, fast, and portable identification and quantification of NPS in seized blotters useful for screening purposes in field analysis.