Extending the capability of forensic electrochemistry to the novel psychoactive substance benzylpiperazine

- For the first time the voltammetric analysis of the novel psychoactive substance benzylpiperazine is reported.
- The methodology has been optimised and a mechanism has been proposed for the oxidation of benzylpiperazine.
- Achieved limit of detection of 6 μM, accuracy of 0.08% and resolution against MDMA.

Benzylpiperazine (BZP) is a novel psychoactive substance that is commonly abused in tablet form as an “ecstasy-type” drug. Electroanalysis offers genuine potential for field testing of bulk drug samples. This research is the first to investigate the viability of voltammetric analysis of BZP. Initial cyclic voltammetry in 0.1 M KCl showed an oxidative peak at a glassy carbon electrode for BZP at approximately 0.8 V (scan rate 205 mV s− 1). Next an optimised electrode/electrolyte combination (viz. 80:20 W:W glassy carbon beads:nujol and pH 9.5, 40 mM, Britton-Robinson buffer) was developed using K3Fe(CN)6 to test the electrode material. The oxidation of BZP involves two electrons and two protons and a mechanism has been proposed. An anodic stripping square wave voltammetric method was optimised by factorial design with the conditions of deposition: − 0.8 V for 135 s, and stripping: step height 10 mV, amplitude 50 mV and frequency 13 Hz. A limit of detection of 6 μM was achieved. The resolution against 3,4-methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (MDMA) was also verified.

140