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From smart drugs to smartphone: A colorimetric spot test for the analysis of the synthetic cannabinoid AB-001

Abstract The use of synthetic cannabinoids is an emerging problem in contemporary society, and the detection techniques currently used do not meet the requirements of a drug test. We report… Click to show full abstract

Abstract The use of synthetic cannabinoids is an emerging problem in contemporary society, and the detection techniques currently used do not meet the requirements of a drug test. We report herein an inexpensive, in situ method for the detection of the synthetic cannabinoid AB-001 in herbal samples. The method exploits a colorimetric kit consisting in a 96 plate well containing a bench stable modified Ehrlich reagent adsorbed on silica. The colour derived by the interaction of AB-001 with the detection matrix is read on a RGB (Red, Green, and Blue) base by using the camera of a smartphone, thus making the method accessible to everyone. A calibration curve of the analyte in the range 1–200 μg was realized, with a MQL (method quantitation limit) of 1 μg and positive recovery tests from samples of tobacco and damiana spiked with different amounts of AB-001. The method presents selectivity for AB-001 with respect to other indole-based cannabinoids (e.g. JWH-018, JWH-302, whose response is ca 5% of the one produced by the same concentration of AB-001) and other common drugs (e.g. acetaminophen, ascorbic acid, bromazepam, fluoxetine), these last not interfering up to a 100:1 drug:AB-001 ratio. This new colorimetric approach would be considered a category C screening test, and therefore recommended as part of a comprehensive analytical scheme for the identification of AB-001.

Keywords: test; smart drugs; synthetic cannabinoid; drugs smartphone; cannabinoid 001

Journal Title: Forensic Chemistry
Year Published: 2019

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