Simultaneous analysis of amphetamine and derivatives in drug seizures and natural weight loss pills by capillary electrophoresis tandem mass spectrometry

This proposed research project is to develop and validate a method based on Capillary electrophoresis coupled with mass spectrometry to analyze amphetamine, methamphetamine, methylenedioxy-amphetamine, methylenedioxy-methamphetamine, and methylenedioxyethylamphetamine in real samples of drug seizures and natural weight loss pills, by first getting a basic understanding of CE-MS/MS technique and then applying it. The expected outcome is to obtain more results on the analytical technique of CE-MS/MS by experimenting with it and be able to use this technique to show its advantages as better separation and easier identification for real samples such as the drugs and weight loss pills compared to the other analytical techniques used daily. Also, experimenting more with this technique, an expected outcome could be that it opens up new doors into findings other compounds/chemicals within certain substances and potentially find ways to make it a more cost efficient technique for laboratories.

Faculty Supervisor:

Alexandre Drouin

Student:

Melina Singh

Partner:

Discipline:

Chemistry

Sector:

University:

Bishop's University

Program:

Globalink