Rapid analysis of amphetamine-type substances using Agilent's QuickProbe gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer technology

The Agilent QuickProbe gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (QP-GCMS) is a rapid analytical instrument requiring minimal sample preparation. The instrument was considered for the screening of samples for potential implementation at New Zealand's border screening laboratory. One of the project's primary aims was to validate the method for the analysis of border seizures, including drug concealments, novel psychoactive substances (NPS), low-dose drugs and unknown substances. For the application to be useful beyond the capabilities of current handheld point-of-contact (POC) devices, the initial evaluation has included the analysis of a large variety of compounds in a large variety of matrices. These data will be reported separately. However, during the evaluation, several chromatographical challenges were encountered during the analysis of amphetamine-type substances (ATS). As such, the QP-GCMS required some troubleshooting and method development to improve resolution for this class of compounds.