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Rapid Analysis of Trace Drugs and Metabolites Using a Thermal Desorption DART-MS Configuration
Published
Author(s)
Edward R. Sisco, Thomas P. Forbes, Matthew E. Staymates, John G. Gillen
Abstract
The need to rapidly analyze trace narcotic samples for screening or confirmatory purposes is of increasing desire to the forensic, homeland security, and criminal justice sectors. This work presents a novel method for the detection of trace drugs and metabolites, using a thermal desorption direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry configuration (TD-DART-MS). A variation on traditional DART, this configuration allows for the analysis of a sample directly off of swipe material, independent of the DART source. Over thirty trace narcotics were analyzed and could be rapidly differentiated and searched. Sensitivity for these compounds, under non-optimized conditions, ranged from single nanograms to hundreds of picograms.
Sisco, E.
, Forbes, T.
, Staymates, M.
and Gillen, J.
(2016),
Rapid Analysis of Trace Drugs and Metabolites Using a Thermal Desorption DART-MS Configuration, Analytical Methods, [online], https://doi.org/10.1039/c6ay01851c
(Accessed October 1, 2025)