Electrochemical detection of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy) using a boron-doped diamond electrode with differential pulse voltammetry: Simple and fast screening method for application in forensic analysis

Abstract 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is an illicit stimulant drug also known as ‘ecstasy’ and is one of the most used amphetamines worldwide. Similar drugs to MDMA, so called as novel psychoactive substances (NPS), have been also found in seized samples. In this work, we present a simple and fast electrochemical method for MDMA detection in seized samples using a boron-doped diamond electrode (BDDE) with differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The proposed method is based on the oxidation of the MDMA at a BDDE in Britton-Robinson buffer solution pH 10 as supporting electrolyte. A good linear range from 1.0 to 500 µmol L−1 and a low limit of detection (0.3 µmol L−1) were obtained for MDMA determination. We also present the interference study of the proposed method for other drugs, which can be found in seized samples of ecstasy-like tablets, such as caffeine and nine other synthetic drugs, including the own amphetamine, methamphetamine and N-methyldiethanolamine (MDEA). Analyses of seized samples with MDMA and very similar NPS such methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) and MDEA were successfully performed and compared by LC-MS and HPLC DAD. Therefore, the analytical performance of the BDDE with DPV for MDMA detection suggests a simple and fast screening method to detect this drug in forensic analysis.