Title:Toxicological Advancements in Cocaine Detection: A Review
Volume: 30
Issue: 32
Author(s): Federico Giuseppe Patanè, Andreana Nicoletta Maria Maglitto, Massimiliano Esposito*, Giuseppe Cocimano, Nunzio Di Nunno, Monica Salerno and Francesco Sessa*
Affiliation:
- Legal Medicine, Department of Medical, Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies, "G.F. Ingrassia", University of
Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
- Legal Medicine, Department of Medical, Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies, "G.F. Ingrassia", University of
Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Keywords:
Forensic sciences, toxicology, cocaine, new detection methods, aptamers, methyl benzoylecgonine.
Abstract: Cocaine, also known as methyl benzoylecgonine, is one of the most used
drugs of abuse and one of the oldest; however, there has been a recent increase in the consumption
of this substance. This trend has once again caught the attention of the scientific
community. We discuss the current knowledge about this drug, focusing our attention
on the forensic approach. Despite the fact that the cut-off of positivity to cocaine in drug
tests is quite high, most current tests are able to detect much lower concentrations and
could improve forensic sciences in both post-mortem investigations and in people screening.
Immunological assays possessing substantial cross-reactivity to cocaine are particularly
useful for screening oral fluid, hair, and post-mortem blood, where significant concentrations
of the drug can be found. Liquid chromatography has now supplanted the previous
techniques because it is very sensitive and specific and allows samples to be analyzed
in a shorter time with only minimal sample preparation. Recent studies have focused
on increased sensitivity, reduced processing times, and cheaper analysis.
