SOFT 2004 Meeting Abstracts - Society of Forensic Toxicologists

M26
DETECTION OF SMOKED COCAINE MARKER (ANHYDROECGONINE METHYLESTER) IN
NAILS.
Catherine Ragoucy-Sengler l * and Pascal Kintz 2 : lLaboratoire de Biochimie, Centre Hospitalier
Universitaire BP 465 97110 Abymes, Guadeloupe (FWI) and 21nstitut de Medecine Legale, 11 rue Human
67085 Strasbourg France
Objective: The chronic intoxication by smoked cocaine or crack results in psychic disturbances that may
lead to asocial and aggressive behavior. For medical, legal and epidemiologic purpose it is interesting to be
able to detect this drug-addiction. The detection of anhydroecgonine methy ester (AEME) marker of
coca'ine pyrolysis in hair is significant ofchronic consumption. The collection ofhair is not always possible
among Afro-Americans, and that of the nails can represent an interesting alternative to search AEME.
Materials and methods: Two samples of 50 mg of nails collected with informed consent from two subjects
consuming smoked cocaine were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry detection.
The AEME was searched in these samples.
Prior to analysis, the samples were washed with hot water then by 5 baths of dichloromethane in order to
eliminate any possibility of contamination by the contact with the product or the smoke before being
analyzed. The analysis was carried out in mode SIM on a Gaz Chromatograph (6890) coupled to a mass
selective detector (5973) Agilent Technologies, (Palo Alto, CA) (1). AEME was quantitated by comparing
ratios of peak areas with those ofdeuterated cocaine.
Results: The analysis of the nails samples of both subjects (1 and 2) leads to detection of cocaine, its
metabolites and the AEME. The analysis of dichloromethane baths were negative from the 3 me bath.
ng/mg COC BE EME CE AEME
Subject 1 28.7 7.3 6.3