The detection of multiple illicit street drugs in liquid samples by direct analysis in real time (DART) coupled to Q-orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry

Direct analysis in real time coupled to Q-orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry (DART-MS) without requiring preparatory procedures was used to directly detect trace amounts of illegal street drugs, namely p-chloroamphetamine, p-fluoromethamphetamine, γ-hydroxybutyrate, ketamine, methamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone, p-methylethcathinone, methylone, and nimetazepam, in solution and also in real drug samples. Exact mass determination of the drug samples was completed in less than 1 min. With the ability to rapidly identify drugs, this technique shows great potential as a useful analytical tool in the analysis of illicit street drugs, and has the significant advantages of simplicity and sensitivity without the sample preparation needed by other methods.