Detection of Nitazenes in the Illicit Drug Supply Utilizing Precursor Ion Scan Methods With Paper Spray Mass Spectrometry

ABSTRACT

The emergence of nitazene compounds in the illicit drug supply is a significant and increasing concern due to their high potency and rapid evolution in several parts of the world. Nitazenes create challenges for harm reduction drug checking services, where there is a need to provide relevant information about the composition of drug samples to people who use drugs. While targeted paper spray mass spectrometry has demonstrated abilities for drug checking, it is difficult to keep analysis methods up to date for the rapidly evolving drug supply. We have developed a precursor ion scan method that monitors four common nitazene product ions paired with tooling to streamline data interpretation. Twenty‐five control samples received at a community‐level drug checking service were used in method development and evaluation to ensure direct applicability to illicit drug samples. Using the developed method, three nitazene compounds, ‐pyrrolidino protonitazene, ‐desethyl etonitazene, and ‐pyrrolidino ethylene isotonitazene, were detected across 18 samples where a nitazene was not previously detected upon preliminary targeted analysis. This approach demonstrates rapid, nontargeted screening for the detection of emerging nitazenes, ultimately allowing more complete information about the composition of drug samples to be provided to people who use drugs, as well as public health monitoring and epidemiology. Data collected through drug checking service delivery found that nitazene compounds were most commonly detected in place of expected pharmaceutical opioids, combined with benzodiazepines, and in complex opioid mixtures alongside fentanyl. These findings highlight the wide‐ranging presence of nitazene compounds in the illicit drug supply.