Detection of methamphetamine/amphetamine in human urine based on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and acidulation treatments

Abstract Based on the Raman spectrocopy of the nanostructure-based SERS chips, the trace amount of methamphetamine and its primary metabolite, i.e., amphetamine, were successfully identified from human urine. The SERS substrates were self-assembled vertically-aligned silver nanorods prepared by the magnetron sputtering technique. The matrix spikes of the human urine specimens were prepared to simulate those of the methamphetamine abusers. With the acidulation treatments to the specimen samples, the organic urea-based byproducts were clearly separated. The remaining dissolved methamphetamine/amphetamine in the urine specimens could therefore be enhanced for the SERS analyses, without any interference from the urea. The performance of the proposed acidulation treatments toward the SERS detections of the matrix-spike human urine specimens yielded the detection limit at 50 ng/mL.

[1]  Gold-plating of Mylar lift films to capitalize on surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy for chemical extraction of drug residues. , 2012, Forensic science international.

[2]  Mati Horprathum,et al.  Shelf time effect on SERS effectiveness of silver nanorod prepared by OAD technique , 2013 .

[3]  N. Stojanovska,et al.  Development and validation of a presumptive colour spot test method for the detection of piperazine analogues in seized illicit materials , 2013 .

[4]  M. Horprathum,et al.  Trace detection of perchlorate in industrial-grade emulsion explosive with portable surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. , 2013, Forensic science international.

[5]  S. Bell,et al.  Screening Tablets for DOB Using Surface‐Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy * , 2007, Journal of forensic sciences.

[6]  S. Rouhani,et al.  A novel fluorescence nanosensor based on 1,8-naphthalimide-thiophene doped silica nanoparticles, and its application to the determination of methamphetamine , 2015 .

[7]  Y. Mastai,et al.  SERS as a probe for adsorbate orientation on silver nanoclusters , 2009 .

[8]  M. Huestis,et al.  Methamphetamine and amphetamine pharmacokinetics in oral fluid and plasma after controlled oral methamphetamine administration to human volunteers. , 2003, Clinical chemistry.

[9]  C. Zhong,et al.  Nanostructured SERS-electrochemical biosensors for testing of anticancer drug interactions with DNA. , 2016, Biosensors & bioelectronics.

[10]  S. Jakiela,et al.  Sensing of survivin mRNA in malignant astrocytes using graphene oxide nanocarrier-supported oligonucleotide molecular beacons , 2016 .

[11]  P. Kanatharana,et al.  A sol–gel colorimetric sensor for methamphetamine detection , 2015 .

[12]  Jinhuai Liu,et al.  Detection and direct readout of drugs in human urine using dynamic surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and support vector machines. , 2015, Analytical chemistry.

[13]  Mati Horprathum,et al.  Surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrate of silver nanoparticles depositing on AAO template fabricated by magnetron sputtering , 2010 .

[14]  W. Smith,et al.  Assessment of silver and gold substrates for the detection of amphetamine sulfate by surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). , 2002, The Analyst.

[15]  Yukari Tsumura,et al.  False positives and false negatives with a cocaine-specific field test and modification of test protocol to reduce false decision. , 2005, Forensic science international.