NBOMe instability in whole blood

Author(s)

da Cunha, Kelly Francisco ^[1] ; Eberlin, Marcos Nogueira ^[2] ; Huestis, Marilyn A. ^[3] ; Costa, Jose Luiz ^{[4, 1]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Fac Med Sci, Campinas Poison Control Ctr, BR-13083859 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estadual Campinas, Inst Chem, ThoMSon Mass Spectrometry Lab, BR-13083970 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[3] Thomas Jefferson Univ, Inst Emerging Hlth Profess, Philadelphia, PA 19107 - USA

^[4] Univ Estadual Campinas, Fac Pharmaceut Sci, BR-13083859 Campinas, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Forensic Toxicology; v. 37, n. 1, p. 82-89, JAN 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 1

Abstract

PurposeThe stability of NBOMes, potent new psychoactive substances, in whole blood was studied over 180days.MethodWe present a fully validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method to quantify seven NBOMes (25B-, 25C-, 25D-, 25E-, 25G-, 25H- and 25I-NBOMe) in whole blood, and a 180day stability at two analyte concentrations and three storage temperatures {[}room temperature (RT), 4 degrees C and -20 degrees C].ResultsCalibration curves were linear over 0.1-10ng/mL, with intra- and interday imprecision (%relative standard deviation) and bias (%) not greater than 8.1 %. For low concentration (0.3ng/mL) samples at RT, 25B-, 25C-, 25I- and 25E-NBOMe decreased by more than 20% after 15days and were undetectable after 30days. All NBOMes were below the limit of quantification (LOQ; 0.1ng/mL) when stored at RT for 60days. At 4 degrees C, 25B-, 25C-, 25I-, 25G-, 25D- and 25E-NBOMe (0.3ng/mL) decreased by more than 20% (up to 54%) after 180days. Except for 25H-NBOMe, all high concentration (8ng/mL) NBOMes decreased by more than 20% after 15days at RT, and high concentrations of 25B-, 25C-, and 25I-NBOMe were unstable at 4 degrees C after 180days. All analytes were stable for 180days at -20 degrees C. Extracts of low, medium and highquality control samples were stable when reinjected after 32h storage on the autosampler at 15 degrees C. All analytes were stable after three freeze-thaw cycles at -20 degrees C.ConclusionsBased on the potential for NBOMe instability prior to testing, it is recommended to refrigerate whole blood for NBOMe analysis up to 90days, and to freeze samples for longer term storage. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 18/00432-1 - The Toxicology of New Psychoactive Substances (NSP): epidemiology of consumption by the analysis of hair and oral fluid samples
• Grantee: José Luiz da Costa
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 15/10650-8 - Stability of medicines, drugs of abuse and pesticides in dried blood spots (DBS), and its application in forensic toxicology
• Grantee: José Luiz da Costa
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants