Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology

Abdul Rahim Yacob ¹, Zareen Sofia Onn ¹, Siti Balkiah Ismail ²

Affiliations
1 Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi, MY
2 Department of Chemistry, Johor Branch, Jalan Abdul Samad

Abstract

The active ingredient in Viagra is Sildenafil which is used for the treatment of impotency or erectile dysfunction. Sildenafil has become one of the most commonly prescribed pharmaceutical drugs to cure sexual deficiency. In recent years, the use of this drug had been widely expended towards consumption for negative activities. Local authorities and media have reported the abuse of this drug such as taken in drinks, beverages or sweets. That was adulterated. To avoid detection, this erectile dysfunction drug was modified chemically and therefore known as Sildenafil Analogues. These analogues have slight difference in chemical structure, but they have almost the same effect as the original drug. In this study, five (5) local brands of coffee powder suspected to be adulterated with Sildenafil were analyzed. All the coffee samples were extracted with methanol and identified using LC-MS/MS. Each sample was qualitatively analyzed followed by confirmation analysis using two Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) transitions selection, parent and daughter ions for Sildenafil Analogues. The expected chemical structure for parent and daughter ions in this study was also proposed.

Keywords

Sildenafil, Sildenafil Analogues, Coffee, LC-MS/MS

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Abdul Rahim Yacob ¹, Aminah Mohamed Ayub ², Nazirah Binti Said ³

Affiliations
1 Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor, MY
2 Rubber Research Institute of Malaysia, Sungai Buluh, 47000, Selangor Darul Ehsan, MY
3 Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor, MY

Abstract

On November 19, 2009, the European Union regulated three phthalates esters; Benzyl Butyl Phthalate (BBP), DiButyl Phthalate (DBP), and DiEthylHexyl Phthalate (DEHP) to a limit of less than 0.1% in all imported toys and articles. However, the U.S regulation strongly prohibited BBP, DBP and DEHP and at any concentrations more than 0.1%. These regulations thus indicate how serious phthlate esters and their effect on health. In the current study, five (5) imported samples of soft toys were obtained from local markets and analyzed for six (6) types of phthalate esters of BBP, DBP, DEHP, Din- Octyl Phthalate (DnOP), DiIsoNonyl Phthalate (DINP) and DiIsoDecyl Phthalate (DIDP) respectively. The method used was established by Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Malaysia while characterization performed by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). This study found all the samples to contain high percentage of DEHP while two (2) contained acceptable levels of DBP. Other phthlate esters were however not detected or below the detection limit of GC-MS.

Keywords

Phthalate Esters, Soft Toy, Safety Regulation, Health Effects

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Abdul Rahim Yacob ¹, Mohamad Raizul Zinalibdin ¹

Affiliations
1 Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi of Malaysia 81310 Skudai, Johor, MY

Abstract

Abused class substances use as inhalant which includes volatile solvents is endemic worldwide. Nowadays, glue sniffing is like disease to children in primary and secondary school and this problem is shown by media like a "time bomb" for our future generation. Glue is easily available and cheaper than drugs and because of that, more teenagers is using it to get 'high'. Children who abuse glue early in life are more likely to use other illicit drugs. Later, the method of delivery is inhalation of a solvent from its container, a soaked rag, or a bag. In this study the volatile substance in glue will be determined using Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR), Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy Detector (GC-MSD) with headspace method. This study proved from the results obtain that toluene is the one of the major substance this confirmed by GC-MSD with head space method. FTIR analysis of glue showed that strong absorption peak of C = C (aromatic) bending at 700 cm^-1 and 693.8 cm^-1, confirm that toluene and benzenes exist in glue sample. Furthermore heavy metal atoms such as Cadmium, Chromium, Iron, Zinc, Titanium, Argentum and Sodium had been detected in all glue samples using ICPOES.

Keywords

Glue, Gas Chromatography-mass Spectroscopy Detector, Inductively Coupled Plasma-optical Emission Spectroscopy and Fourier Transform Infra Red

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Abdul Rahim Yacob ¹, Mohamad Raizul Zinalibdin ¹

Affiliations
1 Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi of Malaysia 81310 Skudai, Johor, MY

Abstract

Toluene abuser as known as glue sniffer has been growth like drug abuser nowadays in Malaysia. Toluene can entered human body and metabolite in kidney to form benzoic acid which is then conjugated with glycine to form hippuric acid. The purpose of this research is to develop a fast and accurate screening method of toluene presence in urine sample of glue sniffer. However, urine is a complex mixture of thousand chemicals thus it is difficult to carry out qualitative analysis unless proper sample treatment and instrument with high sensitivity is applied. Urine samples were mixed with pyridine and benzenesulphonyl chloride with addition of distill water. The change color from yellow to red indicates the presence of hippuric acid in the urine samples. This technique was found successfully create a simple, fast and accurate screening method available. Quantitative analysis of toluene in urine samples was done using UV-Visible spectrometer at wavelength 417 nm and presented in this paper. The successfully of this research will be useful to help National Anti Drug Agency and Royal Police of Malaysia to overcome this problem.

Keywords

Glue, Hippuric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Color Test, Ultra Violet Visible

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Abdul Rahim Yacob ¹, Mohd. Raizul Zainalibdin ¹, Nazirah Said ¹

Affiliations
1 Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru, 81310, Johor, MY

Abstract

Glue sniffing has been an addiction problem to countries all over the world since late nineteenth century. Back then, it is the adults who are mostly abusers but recently, the trend have shifted towards younger generations. More teenagers have been recorded to be glue sniffers. Most literatures indicated that it is the volatile solvent present in glue, the substance that gives the abusers 'high' or the intoxicating effects that they pursue. To study the metabolites of these substances, blood and urine samples from positive glue abusers obtained from local agencies were analyzed. The results showed that there were significant amount of para- cresol in the head space which is one of toluene's metabolites.

Keywords

Glue, Toluene, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy Detector, Head Space

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