Yoo Y.C., Chung H.S., Choi H.K., Kim E.M., Kim S.C.

National Institute of Scientific Investigation, Division of Narcotics Analysis, 331-1 Shinwol-Dong, Yangchon-Ku, Seoul, Korea

The identification and profiles of impurities of illicit methamphetamine were studied by the method based on a gas chromatographic separation. About 100 mg of seized methamphetamine HCL was dissolved in 1ml of phosphate buffer and extracted by 100 µl of ethylacetate which contains internal standard of dioctylsebacate under basic condition. 2 µl of ethylacetate was injected into GC and GC/MS.

Ephedrine, chloroephedrine, 1,2-dimethyl-3-phenylaziridine and N-methyl-1-phenyl-propanamine are identified impurities. More than 50 specimens, some of them are of known origin, are analyzed to be grouped by impurity profiles. Comparing the profiling data of these confiscated samples, they can be divided into different groups by their statistical analysis. In conclusion, the analysis of impurities is a good index for estimating the common or different origin of methamphetamine samples.