G005444

LC/MS Analysis of Illicit Bath Salts on Ascentis^® Express HILIC, Fast Analysis

application for HPLC

Properties

• technique(s): HPLC: suitable
• test parameters: column: Ascentis Express HILIC, 5 cm x 2.1 mm I.D., 2.7 μm particles (53934-U); mobile phase: 5 mM ammonium formate in acetonitrile:water (95:5); flow rate: 0.6 mL/min; column temp.: 35 °C; detector: ESI(+), TIC 100 - 1000 m/z; sample: 1 μL
• suitability: application for HPLC
• application(s): forensics and toxicology

Description

Analysis Note

With the rapid development of unregulated designer and synthetic compounds, the field of illicit drug testing has recently been met with a changing environment. Of most concern has been the development of a class of phenethylamine and cathinone compounds being marketed as “bath salts,” “jewelry cleaner,” or “plant food.” Forensic testing facilities often experience difficulty in testing these compounds due to the fact that they are not detected under normal ELISA testing methods; additional more specific LC/MS methods are necessary. The challenge for LC/MS detection of these particular bath salts resides in three sets of isobaric compounds that require chromatographic resolution for positive confirmation. For example, both butylone and ethylone have the same mono isotopic mass, making these compounds indistinguishable, even when using accurate mass time of flight TOF-MS. Efficient chromatographic separation is necessary for accurate quantitation of these compounds. The polar basic nature of the bath salts makes these compounds difficult to retain on traditional reversed-phase C18 and even polar embedded stationary phases, making them prime subjects for HILIC chromatographic separation. Shown here is the fast, high-resolution separation of nine synthetic bath salts on Ascentis Express HILIC. Reliable quantitation is achieved by using Cerilliant CRMs.

Legal Information

Ascentis is a registered trademark of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

Analyte

Butylone hydrochloride solution, 1.0 mg/mL in methanol (as free base), ampule of 1 mL, certified reference material, Cerilliant^®
Ethylone hydrochloride, 1.0 mg/mL in methanol (as free base), ampule of 1 mL, certified reference material, Cerilliant^®
Mephedrone hydrochloride solution, 1.0 mg/mL in methanol (as free base), ampule of 1 mL, certified reference material, Cerilliant^®
Methedrone hydrochloride solution, 1.0 mg/mL in methanol (as free base), ampule of 1 mL, certified reference material, Cerilliant^®
Methylone hydrochloride, 1.0 mg/mL in methanol (as free base), ampule of 1 mL, certified reference material, Cerilliant^®