PMID- 17680788
OWN - NLM
STAT- PubMed-not-MEDLINE
DCOM- 20071108
LR  - 20070904
IS  - 0022-1198 (Print)
IS  - 0022-1198 (Linking)
VI  - 52
IP  - 5
DP  - 2007 Sep
TI  - Screening tablets for DOB using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.
PG  - 1063-7
AB  - 2,5,-Dimethoxy-4-bromoamphetamine (DOB) is of particular interest among the 
      various "ecstasy" variants because there is an unusually long delay between 
      consumption and effect, which dramatically increases the danger of accidental 
      overdose in users. Screening for DOB in tablets is problematic because it is 
      pharmacologically active at 0.2-3 mg, which is c. 50 times less than 
      3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine (MDMA) and makes it more difficult to 
      detect in seized tablets using conventional spot tests. The normal Raman spectra 
      of seized DOB tablets are dominated by the bands of the excipient with no 
      evidence of the drug component. Here we report the first use of on-tablet 
      surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to enhance the signal from a low 
      concentration drug. Raman studies (785-nm excitation) were carried on series of 
      model DOB/lactose tablets (total mass c. 400 mg) containing between 1 mg and 15 
      microg of DOB and on seized DOB tablets. To generate surface-enhanced spectra, 5 
      microL of centrifuged silver colloid was dispensed onto the upper surface of the 
      tablets, followed by 5 microL of 1.0 mol/dm(3) NaCl. The probe laser was directed 
      onto the treated area and spectra accumulated for c. 20 sec (10 sec x 2). It was 
      found that the enhancement of the DOB component in the model tablets containing 1 
      mg DOB/tablet and in the seized tablets tested was so large that their spectra 
      were completely dominated by the vibrational bands of DOB with little or no 
      contribution from the unenhanced lactose excipient. Indeed, the most intense DOB 
      band was visible even in tablets containing just 15 microg of the drug. On-tablet 
      surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy is a simple method to distinguish between low 
      dose DOB tablets and those with no active constituent. The fact that unique 
      spectra are obtained allows identification of the drug while the lack of sample 
      preparation and short signal accumulation times mean that the entire test can be 
      carried out in <1 min.
FAU - Bell, Steven E J
AU  - Bell SE
AD  - Innovative Molecular Materials Group, School of Chemistry and Chemical 
      Engineering, Queen's University, Belfast BT9 5AG, UK. S.Bell@qub.ac.uk
FAU - Fido, Louise A
AU  - Fido LA
FAU - Sirimuthu, Narayana M S
AU  - Sirimuthu NM
FAU - Speers, S James
AU  - Speers SJ
FAU - Peters, K Laota
AU  - Peters KL
FAU - Cosbey, Simon H
AU  - Cosbey SH
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
DEP - 20070803
PL  - United States
TA  - J Forensic Sci
JT  - Journal of forensic sciences
JID - 0375370
EDAT- 2007/08/08 09:00
MHDA- 2007/08/08 09:01
CRDT- 2007/08/08 09:00
PHST- 2007/08/08 09:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2007/08/08 09:01 [medline]
PHST- 2007/08/08 09:00 [entrez]
AID - JFO515 [pii]
AID - 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2007.00515.x [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - J Forensic Sci. 2007 Sep;52(5):1063-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2007.00515.x. 
      Epub 2007 Aug 3.