TY - JOUR
T1 - Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and liquid chromatography (LC) coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) characterisation of sildenafil based products seized on the Italian illegal market
AU - Romolo, Francesco Saverio
AU - Salvini, Andrea
AU - Zelaschi, F.
AU - Oddone, Massimo
AU - Odoardi, Sara
AU - Mestria, Serena
AU - Strano Rossi, Sabina
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - The commerce of illegal and counterfeit medicinal products on internet is a serious criminal problem. Drugs for erectile dysfunction such as phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor are the most commonly counterfeited medicines in Europe. The search of possible toxic chemical substances in seized products is needed. Moreover, the profiling of the material can be the source of relevant forensic information. For the first time a combined approach based on liquid chromatography (LC) coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) is proposed and tested, allowing characterisation of both authentic and illegal pharmaceuticals containing sildenafil seized in Italy. LC-HRMS allowed the detection and identification of unknown impurities not reported on labels in illegal products and the quantitation of the sildenafil. INAA showed to be suitable to provide both qualitative and quantitative information for forensic purposes on 23 elements, allowing discrimination between legal and illegal products.
AB - The commerce of illegal and counterfeit medicinal products on internet is a serious criminal problem. Drugs for erectile dysfunction such as phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor are the most commonly counterfeited medicines in Europe. The search of possible toxic chemical substances in seized products is needed. Moreover, the profiling of the material can be the source of relevant forensic information. For the first time a combined approach based on liquid chromatography (LC) coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) is proposed and tested, allowing characterisation of both authentic and illegal pharmaceuticals containing sildenafil seized in Italy. LC-HRMS allowed the detection and identification of unknown impurities not reported on labels in illegal products and the quantitation of the sildenafil. INAA showed to be suitable to provide both qualitative and quantitative information for forensic purposes on 23 elements, allowing discrimination between legal and illegal products.
KW - Forensic analysis
KW - High resolution mass spectrometry
KW - Illegal pharmaceutical products
KW - Neutron activation analysis
KW - Sildenafil
KW - Forensic analysis
KW - High resolution mass spectrometry
KW - Illegal pharmaceutical products
KW - Neutron activation analysis
KW - Sildenafil
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10807/147421
UR - https://www.journals.elsevier.com/forensic-science-international-synergy
U2 - 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2019.07.004
DO - 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2019.07.004
M3 - Article
SN - 2589-871X
VL - 1
SP - 126
EP - 136
JO - Forensic Science International: Synergy
JF - Forensic Science International: Synergy
ER -
