RESUMO
A gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method for the quantification of para-fluorofentanyl (pFF) in powder and powdered samples was developed and validated. The method was applied on a seizure of capsules and tablets, that had been confiscated at an illicit production site in the Netherlands. The investigated capsules and tablets contained pFF in the range of 33.8-408.7 microg. As caffeine was detected as being an adulterant, a HPLC/UV method for the quantification of caffeine in capsules and tablets was also validated and applied. Caffeine was detected in the range of 25.6-108 mg per capsule or tablet. Based on an extrapolation of pharmacological and toxicological data of fentanyl, it can be argued that the highest detected single dose of pFF could be lethal, when administered orally. However, the large variability of the doses observed for pFF could mislead abusers, potentially leading to multiple doses and thus overdosing.
