Voltammetric determination of cocaine in confiscated samples using a carbon paste electrode modified with different [UO2(X-MeOsalen)(H2O)] · H2O complexes.

A fast and non-destructive voltammetric method to detect cocaine in confiscated samples based on carbon paste electrode modified with methoxy-substituted N,N'-ethylene-bis(salcylideneiminato)uranyl(VI)complexes, [UO2(X-MeOSalen)(H2O)] · H2O, where X corresponds to the positions 3, 4 or 5 of the methoxy group on the aromatic ring, is described. The electrochemical behavior of the modified electrode and the electrochemical detection of cocaine were investigated using cyclic voltammetry. Using 0.1 mol · L(-1) KCl as supporting-electrolyte, a concentration-dependent, well-defined peak current for cocaine at 0.62 V, with an amperometric sensitivity of 6.25 × 104 µA · mol · L(-1) for cocaine concentrations ranging between 1.0 × 10(-7) and 1.3 × 10(-6) mol · L-1 was obtained. Chemical interference studies using lidocaine and procaine were performed. The position of the methoxy group affects the results, with the 3-methoxy derivative being the most sensitive.

Voltammetric determination of Δ9-THC in glassy carbon electrode: An important contribution to forensic electroanalysis.

A new voltammetric method for the determination of Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ(9)-THC) is described. The voltammetric experiments were accomplished in N-N dimethylformamide/water (9:1, v/v), using tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborate (TBATFB) 0.1mol/L as supporting electrolyte and a glassy carbon disk electrode as the working electrode. The anodic peak current was observed at 0.0V (vs. Ag/AgCl) after a 30s pre-concentration step under an applied potential of -1.2V (vs. Ag/AgCl). A linear dependence of Δ(9)-THC detection was obtained in the concentration range 2.4-11.3ng/mL, with a linear correlation coefficient of 0.999 and a detection limit of 0.34ng/mL. The voltammetric method was used to measure the content of Δ(9)-THC in samples (hemp and hashish) confiscated by the police. The elimination of chemical interferences from the samples was promptly achieved through prior purification using the TLC technique, by employing methanol/water (4:1, v/v) as the mobile phase. The results showed excellent correlation with results attained by HPLC.