Comparison of the Various Opiate Alkaloid Contaminants and Their Metabolites Found in Illicit Heroin with 6-Monoacetyl Morphine as Indicators of Heroin Ingestion

Abstract

In this study the use of the various opiate alkaloid contaminants as potential markers for illicit heroin ingestion were investigated. Urine samples (n = 227) taken from prisoners for routine drug screen, which were positive for opiates by immunoassay screening, were analyzed for contaminants in illicit heroin. A previously described method was used for the analysis; urines were extracted using mixed-mode solid-phase extraction; the extracts were derivatized using N-methyl-bistrifluoroacetamide and N-methyl-N-trimethylsilyltrifluoroactamide/trimethylchlorosilane. The derivatized extracts were subjected to electron impact gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The extracts were injected in full scan mode followed by selected ion monitoring mode for target opiate alkaloids found as contaminants in illicit heroin. The opiate alkaloids and their metabolites specifically targeted included meconine, desmethylmeconine, hydrocotarnine, acetylcodeine, codeine, morphine, 6-monacetylmorphine (6-mam), papaverine, hydroxypapaverine, and dihydroxypapaverine. Of the 227 samples positive for opiates by immunoassay, using a cut-off of 300 ng/mL, 199 were confirmed positive for morphine and using a cut-off of 10 ng/mL, 28 were confirmed positive for 6-mam. Using the screening method described in the study, the following numbers of positives were found: 199 for morphine, 103 for codeine, 5 for meconine, 46 for desmethylmeconine, 18 for 6-mam, 136 for hydroxypapaverine, and 139 for dihydroxypapaverine. Acetylcodeine, hydrocotarnine, and papaverine were not detected in any of the samples. The results of this study show that analysis for papaverine metabolites is more sensitive than 6-mam as a way of demonstrating illicit heroin use.