Characterization of fentanyl headspace using solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Abstract

With an increased potency and widespread abuse in recent years, the unknowing exposure to fentanyl has become a growing public safety concern. Even though it has been one of the most frequently encountered opioids since 2013, efforts to characterize vapor phase fentanyl are few and far between. This research sought to help assess the public health impacts of vaporized fentanyl by characterizing fentanyl headspace and identifying factors that may cause variation. Using solid phase microextraction (SPME), vaporized fentanyl samples were collected with different fiber types, under varying temperatures, with varying humidity, and using silanized and untreated glassware. Once collected, these samples were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). It was determined that polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) fibers were the most effective at detecting fentanyl in the headspace and that the detection of fentanyl is affected by the type of glassware in which the fentanyl is stored.