Thesis

Development of voltammetric screening approaches for synthetic cannabinoids

Creator
Rights statement
Awarding institution
  • University of Strathclyde
Date of award
  • 2024
Thesis identifier
  • T17024
Person Identifier (Local)
  • 201953514
Qualification Level
Qualification Name
Department, School or Faculty
Abstract
  • Currently, synthetic cannabinoid (SCs) products are emerging and available for sale online and offline in herbal incense form. However, there is a gap in the screening of these to determine if a SCs is present. Forensic scientists find identifying SCs in the street and biological samples challenging due to the number and variety of SCs that maybe present. While traditional methods such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), remains the primary method for laboratory analysis. However, it is a bulky and laboratory-based instrument. Thus, there is a need for new portable screening tools to detect SCs with no conventional drug screening methods available to fulfil this task. Currently, electrochemical techniques have shown promising results for the detection of indole-base. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) provides excellent sensitivity with a limit of detection of 5x10-7 μM for STS-135 and 5 μM and 2 μM for BB-22 and its metabolite, respectively. This approach shows its ability for simultaneous detection when two SCs were spiked in a single sample and remained capable when SCs were added to adulterant confirming that the electrochemical techniques remain reliable and under these conditions. Overall, electrochemical techniques have shown promising results for detecting the chosen SCs and their metabolites. In addition, the feasibility of this approach for direct analysis without the need for pre-treatment or extraction.
Advisor / supervisor
  • Carlysle-Davies, Felicity
  • Dennany, Lynn
Resource Type
DOI
Funder
Embargo Note
  • The digital version of this thesis is restricted to Strathclyde users only until 29/07/2029.

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