TY - JOUR

T1 - Overview of systematic toxicological analysis strategies and their coverage of substances in forensic toxicology

AU - Rygaard, Karen

AU - Pan, Meiru

AU - Nielsen, Marie Katrine Klose

AU - Dalsgaard, Petur Weihe

AU - Rasmussen, Brian Schou

AU - Linnet, Kristian

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors. Analytical Science Advances published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Systematic toxicological analysis (STA) is the process of using an adequate analytical methodology to detect and identify as many potentially toxicologically relevant compounds as possible in biological samples. STA is an important part of everyday routine work within forensic toxicology, and several methods for STA have frequently been published and reviewed independently. However, the many drugs and other substances involved, as well as the constant emergence of new ones, may pose a major challenge in STA, which often demands a strategy involving multiple analytical methods in parallel. Such strategies have been published and evaluated less frequently despite their relevance in forensic toxicology. This mini-review briefly summarizes commonly applied methods for STA in forensic toxicology, including gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and liquid chromatography–MS (LC–MS) methods, and highlights some of their potential pitfalls. Second, it provides an overview of previously reported strategies to conduct STA, including a presentation of the STA strategy applied in the authors’ laboratory. This involves broad drug screening by LC–high-resolution MS, supported by targeted screening and quantification using LC–tandem MS, headspace (HS)-GC–MS, HS-GC–flame ionization detector and other complementary methods. The STA strategy aims to cover as many potentially relevant drugs as possible and seeks to reduce potential pitfalls arising in forensic casework. The review underlines that not every substance can be identified in all circumstances even with a comprehensive STA strategy.

AB - Systematic toxicological analysis (STA) is the process of using an adequate analytical methodology to detect and identify as many potentially toxicologically relevant compounds as possible in biological samples. STA is an important part of everyday routine work within forensic toxicology, and several methods for STA have frequently been published and reviewed independently. However, the many drugs and other substances involved, as well as the constant emergence of new ones, may pose a major challenge in STA, which often demands a strategy involving multiple analytical methods in parallel. Such strategies have been published and evaluated less frequently despite their relevance in forensic toxicology. This mini-review briefly summarizes commonly applied methods for STA in forensic toxicology, including gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and liquid chromatography–MS (LC–MS) methods, and highlights some of their potential pitfalls. Second, it provides an overview of previously reported strategies to conduct STA, including a presentation of the STA strategy applied in the authors’ laboratory. This involves broad drug screening by LC–high-resolution MS, supported by targeted screening and quantification using LC–tandem MS, headspace (HS)-GC–MS, HS-GC–flame ionization detector and other complementary methods. The STA strategy aims to cover as many potentially relevant drugs as possible and seeks to reduce potential pitfalls arising in forensic casework. The review underlines that not every substance can be identified in all circumstances even with a comprehensive STA strategy.

KW - drug screening

KW - forensic toxicology

KW - high-resolution

KW - mass spectrometry

KW - STA

U2 - 10.1002/ansa.202200062

DO - 10.1002/ansa.202200062

M3 - Review

AN - SCOPUS:85159878696

VL - 4

SP - 96

EP - 103

JO - Analytical Science Advances

JF - Analytical Science Advances

SN - 2628-5452

IS - 3-4

ER -