Extending the capability of forensic electrochemistry to the novel psychoactive substance benzylpiperazine
Benzylpiperazine (BZP) is a novel psychoactive substance that is commonly abused in tablet form as an “ecstasy-type” drug. Electroanalysis offers genuine potential for field testing of bulk drug samples. This research is the first to investigate the viability of voltammetric analysis of BZP. Initial...
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2017-04-01
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doaj-576a6de9cb7b47ec92b2de5fae1322712020-11-24T21:20:17ZengElsevierSensing and Bio-Sensing Research2214-18042017-04-01132839Extending the capability of forensic electrochemistry to the novel psychoactive substance benzylpiperazineS.A. Waddell0C. Fernandez1C.C. Inverarity2R. Prabhu3School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Robert Gordon University, Garthdee Road, Aberdeen AB10 7GJ, United Kingdom; Corresponding author.School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Robert Gordon University, Garthdee Road, Aberdeen AB10 7GJ, United KingdomSchool of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Robert Gordon University, Garthdee Road, Aberdeen AB10 7GJ, United KingdomSchool of Engineering, Robert Gordon University, Garthdee Road, Aberdeen AB10 7GJ, United KingdomBenzylpiperazine (BZP) is a novel psychoactive substance that is commonly abused in tablet form as an “ecstasy-type” drug. Electroanalysis offers genuine potential for field testing of bulk drug samples. This research is the first to investigate the viability of voltammetric analysis of BZP. Initial cyclic voltammetry in 0.1 M KCl showed an oxidative peak at a glassy carbon electrode for BZP at approximately 0.8 V (scan rate 205 mV s−1). Next an optimised electrode/electrolyte combination (viz. 80:20 W:W glassy carbon beads:nujol and pH 9.5, 40 mM, Britton-Robinson buffer) was developed using K3Fe(CN)6 to test the electrode material. The oxidation of BZP involves two electrons and two protons and a mechanism has been proposed. An anodic stripping square wave voltammetric method was optimised by factorial design with the conditions of deposition: −0.8 V for 135 s, and stripping: step height 10 mV, amplitude 50 mV and frequency 13 Hz. A limit of detection of 6 μM was achieved. The resolution against 3,4-methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (MDMA) was also verified. Keywords: Voltammetry, Forensic, Controlled drugs, Benzylpiperazine, Ecstasyhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214180416300812 |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
S.A. Waddell C. Fernandez C.C. Inverarity R. Prabhu |
spellingShingle |
S.A. Waddell C. Fernandez C.C. Inverarity R. Prabhu Extending the capability of forensic electrochemistry to the novel psychoactive substance benzylpiperazine Sensing and Bio-Sensing Research |
author_facet |
S.A. Waddell C. Fernandez C.C. Inverarity R. Prabhu |
author_sort |
S.A. Waddell |
title |
Extending the capability of forensic electrochemistry to the novel psychoactive substance benzylpiperazine |
title_short |
Extending the capability of forensic electrochemistry to the novel psychoactive substance benzylpiperazine |
title_full |
Extending the capability of forensic electrochemistry to the novel psychoactive substance benzylpiperazine |
title_fullStr |
Extending the capability of forensic electrochemistry to the novel psychoactive substance benzylpiperazine |
title_full_unstemmed |
Extending the capability of forensic electrochemistry to the novel psychoactive substance benzylpiperazine |
title_sort |
extending the capability of forensic electrochemistry to the novel psychoactive substance benzylpiperazine |
publisher |
Elsevier |
series |
Sensing and Bio-Sensing Research |
issn |
2214-1804 |
publishDate |
2017-04-01 |
description |
Benzylpiperazine (BZP) is a novel psychoactive substance that is commonly abused in tablet form as an “ecstasy-type” drug. Electroanalysis offers genuine potential for field testing of bulk drug samples. This research is the first to investigate the viability of voltammetric analysis of BZP. Initial cyclic voltammetry in 0.1 M KCl showed an oxidative peak at a glassy carbon electrode for BZP at approximately 0.8 V (scan rate 205 mV s−1). Next an optimised electrode/electrolyte combination (viz. 80:20 W:W glassy carbon beads:nujol and pH 9.5, 40 mM, Britton-Robinson buffer) was developed using K3Fe(CN)6 to test the electrode material. The oxidation of BZP involves two electrons and two protons and a mechanism has been proposed. An anodic stripping square wave voltammetric method was optimised by factorial design with the conditions of deposition: −0.8 V for 135 s, and stripping: step height 10 mV, amplitude 50 mV and frequency 13 Hz. A limit of detection of 6 μM was achieved. The resolution against 3,4-methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (MDMA) was also verified. Keywords: Voltammetry, Forensic, Controlled drugs, Benzylpiperazine, Ecstasy |
url |
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214180416300812 |
work_keys_str_mv |
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