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Bioassays for bomb-makers: proof of concept

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Abstract

Clandestine bomb-makers are exposed to significant amounts of explosives and allied materials. As with any ingested xenobiotic substance, these compounds are subject to biotransformation. As such, the potential exists that characteristic suites of biomarkers may be produced and deposited in matrices that can be exploited for forensic and investigative purposes. However, before such assays can be developed, foundational data must be gathered regarding the toxicokinetics, fate, and transport of the resulting biomarkers within the body and in matrices such as urine, hair, nails, sweat, feces, and saliva. This report presents an in vitro method for simulation of human metabolic transformations using human liver microsomes and an assay applicable to representative nitro-explosives. Control and metabolized samples of TNT, RDX, HMX, and tetryl were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) and biomarkers identified for each. The challenges associated with this method arise from solubility issues and limitations imposed by instrumentation, specifically, modes of ionization.

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Abbreviations

MRM:

multiple-reaction monitoring

K ow :

octanol/water partition coefficient

4-ADNT:

4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene

VP:

vapor pressure

HLMs:

human liver microsomes

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Acknowledgments

This work was partially supported by funding from the National Institute of Justice, award number #2001-RC-CX-K003.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Forensic Science & Chemistry, West Virginia University, 1600 University Avenue, Oglebay Hall, Room 208, Box 6121, Morgantown, WV, 26506-6121, USA

    Suzanne C. Bell

  2. C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 1600 University Avenue, Oglebay Hall, Room 208, Box 6121, Morgantown, WV, 26506-6121, USA

    Melissa Gayton-Ely & Corey M. Nida

Authors
  1. Suzanne C. Bell
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  2. Melissa Gayton-Ely
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  3. Corey M. Nida
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Correspondence to Suzanne C. Bell.

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Bell, S.C., Gayton-Ely, M. & Nida, C.M. Bioassays for bomb-makers: proof of concept. Anal Bioanal Chem 395, 401–409 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-009-2851-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-009-2851-4

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