GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY WITH MASS-SPECTROMETRY OR ISOTOPE-RATIO MASS-SPECTROMETRY IN STUDYING THE GEOGRAPHICAL ORIGIN OF HEROIN

Profile analysis of impurities associated with heroin samples and C-13 enrichment of heroin are studied in attempts to trace the origin of heroin samples in drug abuse. High-resolution capillary gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (MS) allow comparative evaluation of various samples with reference to relative retention times, mass spectra and GC peak area. A program developed on a HP 59970 work-station is described for calculating the relative retention time of each integrated GC peak with reference to added standards (p,p'-DDT and triacontane) or normally present in samples (meconine); these data are then treated statistically for comparison of samples. When GC is combined with isotope-ratio MS, C-13 enrichment can be measured at natural abundance level. Preliminary results show some evidence of variation of C-13 enrichment according to the geographical site of production.