High Throughput Determination of Synthetic Amphetamines in Wastewater

This technical report presents a novel analytical method for the high-throughput determination of 18 emerging synthetic amphetamine drugs in untreated wastewater using solid-phase extraction coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (SPE-LC-MS/MS). The study outlines the challenges posed by new psychoactive substances (NPS) and the importance of monitoring these compounds to inform public health and drug policy. The method validation demonstrates its effectiveness in quantifying these drugs at low concentrations, with limits of quantification ranging from 0.033 to 300.0 µg/L. The report details the sample preparation process, including the use of Oasis MCX LP 96 Well Plates and the ACQUITY Premier BEH C18 Column for optimal resolution. It also discusses the method's performance characteristics, such as specificity, sensitivity, and accuracy, which were assessed through rigorous laboratory validation. The findings indicate that the method is suitable for high-throughput analysis, facilitating compliance checks against regulatory limits for synthetic amphetamines in wastewater samples.