The Daily Bulletin

Please join the Chemistry Department for the final seminar of fall 2022, "Developing an Internal Standard for Qualitative DART-MS Analysis of Seized Drugs," presented by Gina DelMonache, a forensic chemistry master's degree candidate in the Chemistry Department at SUNY Buffalo State, on Thursday, November 17, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Science and Mathematics Complex 151. 

Abstract
The need for rapid chemical analysis continues to grow with the ever-changing drug landscape. The emergence of new psychoactive substances warrants an in-depth examination of analytical instruments capable of producing high-fidelity information rapidly. In this seminar, direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (DART-MS) will be introduced as an ambient ionization mass spectrometry method for rapid analysis of a wide variety of samples. DART-MS is seeing increased prevalence in drug analysis due to its speed, simple sample preparation, and high sensitivity. DART-MS has a broad range of forensic applications with seized drug analysis at the forefront. To further enhance data integrity while also eliminating some of the experimental challenges associated with qualitative analysis of seized drugs, the use of an internal standard is generally required. Internal standards are commonplace in quantitative analysis, however are much less frequently used in qualitative analysis, save for gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The use of an internal standard in DART-MS would add an additional layer of data integrity, while also providing in-spectrum mass calibration verification for samples, and an estimate of analyte concentration. Although there are potential pitfalls to the inclusion of an internal standard, it was ultimately found that the benefits of incorporation outweighed the potential challenges resulting in an overall increased level of data integrity.