Abstract
The ingredients of an antipyretic (acetaminophen, AAP) and their metabolites excreted into fingerprint were detected by surface-assisted laser desorption ionization (SALDI) mass spectrometry using zeolite. In the fingerprint taken 4 h after AAP ingestion, not only AAP but also the glucuronic acid conjugate of AAP (GAAP), caffeine (Caf), ethenzamide (Eth), salicylamide (Sala; a metabolite of Eth), and urea were detected. Fingerprints were collected over time to determine how the amounts of AAP and its metabolite changed with time, and the time dependence of the peak intensities of protonated AAP and GAAP was measured. It was found that the increase of [GAAP+H]+ peak started later than that of [AAP+H]+ peak, reflecting the metabolism of AAP. Both AAP and GAAP reached maximum concentrations approximately 3 h after ingestion, and were excreted from the body with a half-life of approximately 3.3 h. In addition, fingerprint preservation was confirmed by optical microscopy, and fingerprint shape was retained even after laser irradiation of the fingerprint. Our method may be used in fingerprint analysis.
Highlights
Fingerprints are used to identify an individual because fingerprints are unique to each person and remain unchanged throughout one’s life
We report a method for detecting drugs in fingerprints by surface-assisted laser desorption ionization (SALDI) mass spectrometry
(1) The hands were washed with commercially available soap for 30 s. (2) The soap was rinsed off with tap water for 30 s. (3) The hands were wiped with dry paper towel for 30 s. (4) The fingertips were pressed against a stainless-steel sample plate for 30 s. (5) One microliter of cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA) matrix solution or CHCA/HM20 suspension was dropped onto the fingerprints
Summary
Fingerprints are used to identify an individual because fingerprints are unique to each person and remain unchanged throughout one’s life. Electric dust is attached to fingerprints in the first place Fine particles such as silica contained in fingerprint powder electrostatically adhere to the electric dust, facilitating the visualization of fingerprints. It was reported that the original fingerprint image could be restored even after MALDI mass measurements using α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA) used as matrix [13]. We report a method for detecting drugs in fingerprints by SALDI mass spectrometry. Using CHCA adsorbed on the zeolite surface, fingerprints collected from multiple volunteers were measured. AAP and its glucuronic acid conjugate (GAAP), Caf, Eth, and urea were detected. This method using CHCA adsorbed on zeolite was adopted in our previous study to detect drugs and metabolites in urine [14]. Through optical microscopy, we confirmed whether fingerprint recovery is possible after the application of CHCA/zeolite
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