<p>Ambient ionization mass spectrometry enables rapid <i>in-situ</i> analysis of a plethora of analytes that are relevant to the forensic and defense communities. As the arsenal of ambient ionization techniques, aimed at solving specific targeted problems, continues to expand, the adoption of these techniques into non-academic settings has been relatively slow. At times, although the technique can provide answers in a more rapid and cheaper manner, the technique does not pass all of the required legal rules for a particular analysis when dealing with forensic evidence. This can be demonstrated with the rapid detection of drugs by paper spray ionization mass spectrometry. Paper spray ionization mass spectrometry can have drugs deposited onto the paper substrate, the paper can wipe a surface for trace analytes, and there are commercial and automated ionization sources for this process. While analysis by paper spray is rapid, the Scientific Working Group for the Analysis of Seized Drugs (SWGDRUG) states that a minimum of two instrumental techniques need to be utilized. Utilizing paper substrates that have nanoparticles embedded for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy, that can also be utilized for paper spray ionization mass spectrometry, makes ambient ionization more appealing as it completes that first legal requirement. </p> <p>Other times, the slow adoption of these new ambient ionization techniques is due to specific communities not being aware of ambient ionization, and specific applications have not yet been demonstrated. Swab touch spray ionization mass spectrometry follows similar processes as paper spray ionization, as the swab acts both as the sampling substrate and the ionization source and can swab for analytes in a manner where the paper substrate may be damaged and unable to perform the ionization for analysis. This can be seen for the swabbing of organic gunshot residues and explosives, both of which current methods already use a swab for sampling but then need lengthy extraction techniques. The applicability of paper spray ionization and swab touch spray ionization for these forensic and defense analyses is only furthered by the fact that they both couple extremely well with portable mass spectrometers for analysis in the field.</p> <p>There are also many fields that ambient ionization is just starting to take its place in the analytical toolbox. Two such defense fields that are just beginning to expand into ambient ionization are the analysis of pyrotechnics and microelectronics. Pyrolysis gas-chromatography mass spectrometry methods have been developed and utilized for environmental tests for pyrotechnic formulation, but they are slow and there is an abundance of cleaning steps between analyses to prevent carry over and contamination. Using paper and swabs as the collection device and ionization source for environmental analysis of these pyrotechnics allow for them to be functioned at ambient conditions at the scale at which will be utilized in the field by the Warfighter. Similarly, authenticating microelectronics by desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry removes the subjectivity of the current methods, while rendering the integrated circuit intact enabling future use if deemed as a genuine part. By taking slower or more subjective tests, in a field that has not utilized ambient ionization heavily in the past and adding these new capabilities to their tool chest expands the acceptance and future applications of the technique.</p> <p>As acceptance and utilization of ambient ionization grows, the next generation of scientists need to have hands on training in these techniques. Through the development of new teaching laboratories that couple both the fundamentals of the technique at hand, while also examining an interesting application to better engage the students, a number of laboratory exercises have been developed. The creation of new laboratory exercise utilizing the next generation of instrumentation and analytical techniques is vital for the future and rapid application of these techniques. The work discussed herein chronicles the utilization and demonstration of ambient ionization mass spectrometry in monitoring clandestine activities, supporting the Warfighter, and redeveloping chemical laboratory education. </p>

Submitted by Liliane Ferreira (ljuvencia30@gmail.com) on 2018-11-27T10:54:13Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Tese - Thays Colletes de Carvalho - 2018.pdf: 10167238 bytes, checksum: e63cc8b9621f34c961582121789dd84c (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2018-11-27T11:56:05Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Tese - Thays Colletes de Carvalho - 2018.pdf: 10167238 bytes, checksum: e63cc8b9621f34c961582121789dd84c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-11-27T11:56:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Tese - Thays Colletes de Carvalho - 2018.pdf: 10167238 bytes, checksum: e63cc8b9621f34c961582121789dd84c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-10-05 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Ionization is a crucial step in mass spectrometry (MS) and governs the versatility of this important analytical technique. Ionization is responsible for transferring atoms and molecules, in their respective ionized forms, into the high vacuum environment of mass spectrometers, where they are discriminated as a function of their m/z ratio. Among the several techniques of ionization of MS, the technique of ionization by Paper spray (PS) is one of the simplest, versatile and can be implemented easily in MS system. In this work, several PS-MS applications in the forensic area were developed, demonstrating their ability to screen new synthetic drugs as a complementary tool to the thin layer chromatography (TLC) method and as a tool to monitor Date-rape Drugs in blood. In the first application, PS-MS was shown to be an effective and rapid method for the identification of synthetic drugs lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), 2,5-dimethoxy-4-chloroamphetamine (DOC), 2,5-dimethoxy-4-bromoamphetamine (DOB), 25C-NBOMe, 25B-NBOMe and 25I-NBOMe) in bottles, both by the isotopic profile of the substances and by the fragmentation presented in tandem mass spectrometry. In the second application, the TLC was coupled to the PS-MS in order to achieve greater reliability in the CCD results. In this way, a CCD method for the analysis of cocaine and adulterants (caffeine, benzocaine, lidocaine and phenacetin) was optimized by evaluating its sensitivity and selectivity. In order to improve the Detection and Quantification Limits for cocaine and adulterants, the spots were analyzed by PS-MS, obtaining improvements in the. Finally, in order to solve the low PS-MS selectivity, a new substrate was developed, especially when the analytical target is in complex mixtures, such as blood. It is a membrane coated with a molecularly printed polymer (MIP) with dual function: simultaneous extraction and ionization of targets in the same device. The developed membrane was applied in the determination of benzodiazepines in blood samples from alleged date rape- drugs victims. Blood is a complex sample containing several compounds that can suppress the analyte signal. With this modification, any suppression is avoided, obtaining excellent results, both qualitative and quantitative. In conclusion, PS-MS is a fast and low-cost technique that can replace or complement conventional analyzes in a laboratory of expertise, increasing the productivity of Brazilian justice. / A ionização é uma etapa crucial em espectrometria de massas (MS) e rege a versatilidade desta importante técnica analítica. A ionização é a responsável por transferir átomos e moléculas, em suas respectivas formas ionizadas, para o ambiente de alto vácuo dos espectrômetros de massas, onde são discriminados em função de sua razão massa sobre carga (m/z). Dentre as diversas técnicas de ionização de MS, a técnica de ionização por Paper spray (PS) é uma das mais simples, versátil e pode ser implementada facilmente em sistema de MS. Nesse trabalho diversas aplicações do PS-MS na área forense foram desenvolvidas, demonstrando sua capacidade para screening de novas drogas sintéticas, como ferramenta complementar ao método de cromatografia de camada delgada (TLC) e como ferramenta para monitorar “boa noite cinderela” em sangue. Na primeira aplicação, o PS-MS mostrou ser um método eficaz e rápido para identificação de drogas sintéticas dietilamida do ácido lisérgico (LSD), 2,5-dimetoxi-4-cloroanfetamina (DOC), 2,5-dimetoxi-4- bromoanfetamina (DOB), 25C-NBOMe, 25B- NBOMe e 25I-NBOMe) em selos, tanto pelo perfil isotópico das substâncias, quanto pela fragmentação apresentada na espectrometria de massas tandem. Já na segunda aplicação, acoplou-se TLC ao PS-MS visando alcançar maior confiabilidade nos resultados de TLC. Desta maneira, otimizou-se um método de TLC para análise de cocaína e adulterantes (cafeína, benzocaína, lidocaína e fenacetina) avaliando sua sensibilidade e seletividade. Com intuito de melhorar os Limites de Detecção e Quantificação para a cocaína e adulterantes, os spots foram analisados por PS-MS, obtendo melhorias nos resultados. Por fim, com o intuito de resolver a baixa seletividade do PS-MS, um novo substrato foi desenvolvido, principalmente quando o alvo analítico está em misturas complexas, como sangue. Trata-se de uma membrana recoberta com um polímero molecularmente impresso (MIP) com dupla função: extração e ionização simultânea de alvos em um mesmo dispositivo. A membrana desenvolvida foi aplicada na determinação de benzodiazepínicos em amostras de sangue de supostas vítimas de benzodiazepínicos. O sangue é uma amostra complexa que contém vários compostos que podem suprimir o sinal do analito. Com essa modificação qualquer supressão é evitada, conseguindo-se ótimos resultados, tanto qualitativos quanto quantitativos. Sendo assim, o PS-MS é uma técnica rápida e de baixo custo, que pode substituir ou complementar as análises convencionais em um laboratório de perícia, aumentando a produtividade da justiça brasileira.

This study addressed five key applications of paper spray mass spectrometry (PS-MS): (i) comparative analysis of the microporous substrate with the cellulose-based substrate in drug detection; (ii) detection of more than 190 fentanyl analogs with their fragmentation pattern can be implemented in the future reference for quicker, accurate and sensitive determination; (iii) exploring sweat in a fingerprint to be considered an alternate method to recognize non-invasive markers of metabolites, lipids, narcotics, and explosive residues that can be used in forensic testing applications; (iv) extending and improving better, cost-effective and quick real-time monitoring of the diseased stage using biofluid samples to obtain vastly different lipid information in viral infection such as COVID-19; and (v) mass spectral detection in chemical warfare agent (CWA) stimulant gas exposure with microporous structure absorbency capabilities in air quality monitoring. This novel synthetic material is known as Teslin® (PPG Industries), consisting of a microporous polyolefin single-layered silica matrix, can be used for precise, sensitive, selective, and rapid sample analysis with PS-MS. The Teslin® substrate provided longer activation time for samples and an active signal with a higher concentration of ion formation and mobility compared to cellulose-based papers. Direct analysis of multiple samples showed that, besides being more sensitive to the study and highly efficient with less sample size and spray solvent needed, Teslin® had less interaction with paper source molecules. For less than 60 seconds of processing time, PS-MS can be used as a rapid detection tool, with limited sample preparation requiring less than one microgram of the sample. Overall, the data in this analysis indicate the capacity of the PS-MS as an alternative approach for direct chemical analysis in many applications. Specifically, the waterproof and microporosity characteristics of Teslin® have proven its usefulness in detecting a variety of chemical components in liquid, solid, and gaseous phases without requiring any chemical treatment or substrate alteration.