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Experimental study on external contamination of hair by synthetic cannabinoids and effect of hair treatment

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Abstract

We recently reported a fatal case of poisoning by N-1-naphthalenyl-1-pentyl-1H-indole-3-carboxamide (NNEI). In this case, NNEI was detected from 13 sections of a 40 cm length of hair after washings. The concentrations of NNEI were generally similar among the hair segments. These results strongly suggested that externally contaminated NNEI could not be removed from the hair by washings. The aim of the present study is to demonstrate the adsorption and removal by washings for NNEI and [1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]-(4-methyl-1-naphthalenyl)-methanone (MAM-2201) using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. NNEI and MAM-2201 were detected in black hair even after a single immersion in NNEI and MAM-2201 aqueous solutions, followed by washings. However, their adsorption seemed less pronounced for dyed or bleached hair. Therefore, hair analysis cannot be considered effective in testing of synthetic cannabinoid abuse, because the external synthetic cannabinoid(s) can be easily adsorbed to hair of a non-user by passive exposure.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, 143 Shimokasuya, Isehara, Kanagawa, 259-1143, Japan

    Takeshi Saito & Sadaki Inokuchi

  2. Department of Legal Medicine, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Japan

    Chizuko Sasaki & Katsuyoshi Kurihara

  3. Department of Forensic Medicine, Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan

    Akira Namera

Authors
  1. Takeshi Saito
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  2. Chizuko Sasaki
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  3. Akira Namera
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  4. Katsuyoshi Kurihara
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  5. Sadaki Inokuchi
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Correspondence to Takeshi Saito.

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Saito, T., Sasaki, C., Namera, A. et al. Experimental study on external contamination of hair by synthetic cannabinoids and effect of hair treatment. Forensic Toxicol 33, 155–158 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11419-014-0250-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11419-014-0250-9

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