Extending the capability of forensic electrochemistry to the novel psychoactive substance benzylpiperazine.

Waddell, S.A.; Fernandez, C.; Inverarity, C.C.; Prabhu, R.

Abstract

Benzylpiperazine (BZP) is a novel psychoactive substance that is commonly abused in tablet form as an 'ecstasy-type' drug. Electroanalysis offers genuine potential for field testing of bulk drug samples. This research is the first to investigate the viability of voltammetric analysis of BZP. Initial cyclic voltammetry in 0.1 M KCl showed an oxidative peak at a glassy carbon electrode for BZP at approximately 0.8 V (scan rate 205 mV s− 1). Next an optimised electrode/electrolyte combination (viz. 80:20 W:W glassy carbon beads:nujol and pH 9.5, 40 mM, Britton-Robinson buffer) was developed using K3Fe(CN)6 to test the electrode material. The oxidation of BZP involves two electrons and two protons and a mechanism has been proposed. An anodic stripping square wave voltammetric method was optimised by factorial design with the conditions of deposition: − 0.8 V for 135 s, and stripping: step height 10 mV, amplitude 50 mV and frequency 13 Hz. A limit of detection of 6 μM was achieved. The resolution against 3,4-methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (MDMA) was also verified.

Citation

WADDELL, S.A., FERNANDEZ, C., INVERARITY, C.C. and PRABHU, R. 2017. Extending the capability of forensic electrochemistry to the novel psychoactive substance benzylpiperazine. Sensing and bio-sensing research [online], 13, pages 28-39. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbsr.2016.12.001

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 16, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Dec 21, 2016
• Publication Date: Apr 30, 2017
• Deposit Date: Feb 16, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 16, 2017
• Journal: Sensing and bio-sensing research
• Electronic ISSN: 2214-1804
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 13
• Pages: 28-39
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbsr.2016.12.001
• Keywords: Voltammetry; Forensic; Controlled drugs; Benzylpiperazine; Ecstasy
• Public URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10059/2172