An Early Warning Monitoring System for Illicit Drug Use: Trace Residue Analysis of Discarded Drug Packaging and Paraphernalia

Inspired by Locard’s exchange principle, which states “every contact leaves a trace”, a rapid and high-throughput sampling and analysis strategy has been developed for the trace residue monitoring of illicit drug substances found within discarded drug packaging samples (DPS) and discarded drug paraphernalia (DDP).

Using Direct Analysis in Real Time-Mass Spectrometry (DART-MS) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), identification and characterization of a wide range of illicit drugs and adulterants is demonstrated using either off-site laboratory-based instrumentation or on-site in ‘close to real time’ using a transportable mass spectrometer housed within a mobile analytical laboratory.

Results from two pilot studies will be discussed, involving the analysis of (i) 1362 DPS collected from large public events including music/dance festivals between September 2019 and March 2020 in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria, Australia [West, et al. J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom. 2021, 32, 2604-2614.], and (i) >6,631 DDP sourced from established service providers in Melbourne between August 2020 – February 2021 while covid-19 lockdown restrictions were in place.

Using this approach, 92.2% of DPS yielded positive results for at least one of 15 different drugs and/or adulterants, including numerous novel psychoactive substances. Notably, 52.6% of positive DPS were found to contain polydrug mixtures.

Similarly, 86% of DDP tested positive for at least one illicit substance, including the novel synthetic opioid drug, ßU-10, and with 231 distinct drug combinations identified throughout the study. Finally, the results from these pilots are shown to provide evidence-based information for use as part of an early warning system to reduce illicit drug-related harms within the community.