Problems of Forensic Sciences 2009 Vol. 79 (LXXIX) 303-313
APPLICATION OF FAST GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY TO ROUTINE ANALYSIS OF NARCOTIC DRUGS AND PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES
Bogumiła BYRSKA, Dariusz ZUBA
Institute of Forensic Research, Krakow, Poland
Streszczenie
The paper presents the modification of a routine gas chromatographic method used for the determination of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, and the selection of optimal conditions for their analysis using fast gas chromatography (fast GC). Column resolution was increased by changing the temperature gradient in the oven temperature program of the fast GC method, and the speed gain was estimated. Limits of detection (LODs) were determined for amphetamine and its derivatives (MA, EP, MDA, MDMA, MDEA, MBDB, DMA, TMA-2, 2C-B, 2C-H) and ketamine, based on the signal to noise ratio (S/N = 3). The LODs in the fast GC method were considerably lower (0.02–6 mg/ml) than in the routine method (1–75 mg/ml). The results of repeatability studies of the fast GC method, based on relative standard deviations of retention time, peak width at half height and peak area of the analysed substances, were presented. The differences in retention times of the analysed substances in subsequent replications were negligible (%RSD < 0.01–0.11), and therefore, also taking into account its high sensitivity and resolution, the developed method can be used in routine qualitative analysis of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
Słowa kluczowe
Fast gas chromatography; Psychotropic substances; Narcotic drugs; Narcotics.