Abstract
Understanding of the levels of psychoactive drugs in air is important for assessing both occupational and environmental exposure. Intelligence on the usage and manufacture of illegal drugs can also be gained. Environmental analysis and determination of air quality has recently expanded from its traditional focus to new pollutant categories that include illicit and psychoactive drugs. This is attributed to a greater part on the development of new, advanced techniques, such as liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS), allowing for the trace determination of such compounds down to the parts-per-trillion (ng/L) levels generally reported in air. Studies have also investigated the effects of firsthand and secondhand smoking of drugs, such as cocaine, cannabis and opium. Generally, these have shown secondhand smoke effects to be limited, apart from in the case of opium. Some studies have highlighted ill effects resulting through the exposure of vapors and dusts from the storage of drugs, but this has been shown to result from mould and other fungal contaminates. Investigations into the possible occupational exposures resulting from the use of anesthetic drugs in surgery and accident and emergency have focused on nitrous oxide, sevoflurane, methoxyflurane, isoflurane, propofol and fentanyl. This review focuses on developments and applications for the determination of psychoactive drugs in air.
Highlights
The determination of low, trace levels of drugs in these settings has become more common as detection limits become increasingly improved by advances in analytical instrumentation, such as liquid chromatography triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS)
This review aims to present the current analytical methods applied for the determination of psychoactive drugs in air
Investigations into the levels of drugs present in air have been of interest for some time [8], with early reports focusing on the determination of caffeine and nicotine
Summary
The presence of drugs and their residues have been shown in various media, including drinking [1] and wastewater [2], the surfaces of many public buildings [3], hospitals [4] and police stations [5]; on commonly encountered items such as banknotes [6] and clothing [7]. Following analysis at the antidoping laboratory of Moscow, the Spanish National hockey team were informed that samples from two of their players showed an adverse analytical finding Both players were found to have tested positive for 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in their urine at concentrations of 4 μg/mL and 60 μg/mL, respectively. After having dinner at their hotel on the night of 17 April 2008, 12 members of the Spanish National team, along with the president of the Spanish Hockey Federation, his wife and both the coach, and their assistant, along with the team doctor reported symptoms of vertigo, leg weakness, dizziness, and tremors They had successfully asked for the air conditioning outlet over their table to be switched off.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
