Fast chromatographic screening method for 7 drugs of potential threat in drug facilitated crimes

Abstract

In cases where pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical candidates are involved in drug facilitated crimes (DFC), like organ theft, robbery, rape and suicides, the analysis of drug powders or solution residues found in crime scenes may give idea on what the victims have ingested. An easy and fast simultaneous determination of 7 drugs; GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate), GBL (gamma-butyrolactone), norketamine, ketamine, fenobarbital, fenitoin and thiopental which have the potential to be used in DFC was performed. The method required no sample preparation and has 12 minutes elution time with a good chromatographic separation. The separation was carried out on a C-18 monolithic column with UV detection at 215 and 237nm. All r(2) values were >= 0.99 and the linear ranges were between 0.9956-1.0000. The LOD and LOQ values were between 0.56-5.55 mu gmL(-1) and 1.69-16.821 mu gmL(-1) respectively. The repeatability values were <= 7.35%. This is the first study in the simultaneous screening of the above mentioned drugs using HPLC.