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Cannabis is recorded to be the most used drug in the world. This causes a lot of difficulties for developing countries to curb the illegal cultivation, sale, and use of cannabis. The main psychoactive component of the cannabis plant is D9‐tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The introduction of mobile forensic labs has greatly increased the testing efficiency of psychotropic substances, but the traditional methods of analysis might seem to be cumbersome for the individual experimenting with the scene of seizure. The incorporation of portable analytical devices in forensic field analysis is the approach in the right direction for the testing of drugs. In this paper, we introduce a paper‐based microfluidic device for the onsite detection of marijuana. The device comprises the fast blue B reagent (FBB) as the main reagent. The µPAD was used for the successful detection of seized marijuana. The µPAD‐based detection was combined with a UV‐Vis spectroscopic confirmation. The computational modeling of the absorbance spectra gave further insights into the product formation during the reaction of THC and FBB. This novel method helps in a faster analysis of marijuana, at a considerably lower cost; which is a great boost to the forensic community and the law enforcement authority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A colorimetric method for the estimation of the total content of cannabinoids in cannabis samples is proposed. The assay is based on the reaction of these compounds with the reagent Fast Blue B (FBB), which has been immobilized into polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The reaction and detection conditions have been established according to the results obtained for the individual cannabinoids Δ9-tetrahydrocannabidiol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and cannabinol (CBN), as well as for ethanolic extracts obtained from cannabis samples after ultrasonication. In contact with the extract and under basic conditions, the reagent diffuses from the PDMS device, producing a red-brown solution. The absorbances measured at 500 nm after only 1 min of exposure to the FBB/PDMS composites led to responses proportional to the amounts of the cannabinoids in the reaction media. Those absorbances have been then transformed in total cannabinoid content using CBD as a reference compound. The potential utility of the proposed conditions has been tested by analyzing different cannabis samples. The selectivity towards other plants and drugs has been also evaluated. The present method is proposed as a simple and rapid alternative to chromatographic methods for the estimation of the total content of cannabinoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A colorimetric method for the estimation of the total content of cannabinoids in cannabis samples is proposed. The assay is based on the reaction of these compounds with the reagent Fast Blue B (FBB), which has been immobilized into polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The reaction and detection conditions have been established according to the results obtained for the individual cannabinoids Δ9-tetrahydrocannabidiol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and cannabinol (CBN), as well as for ethanolic extracts obtained from cannabis samples after ultrasonication. In contact with the extract and under basic conditions, the reagent diffuses from the PDMS device, producing a red-brown solution. The absorbances measured at 500 nm after only 1 min of exposure to the FBB/PDMS composites led to responses proportional to the amounts of the cannabinoids in the reaction media. Those absorbances have been then transformed in total cannabinoid content using CBD as a reference compound. The potential utility of the proposed conditions has been tested by analyzing different cannabis samples. The selectivity towards other plants and drugs has been also evaluated. The present method is proposed as a simple and rapid alternative to chromatographic methods for the estimation of the total content of cannabinoids.

The development of methodologies using inexpensive, fast, and reliable instrumention is desirable in illicit drug analysis. The purpose of this study was based on cyclic voltammetry technique to differentiate the electrochemical behavior of ∆9- THC, the psychoactive substance in marijuana, and five different extract plants to yield false positive results after analysis protocol for cannabinoids using thin-layer chromatography and Fast Blue B salt. After applying a deposition potential of −0.5 V in a glassy carbon working electrode, the results indicated an anodic peak current at 0.0 V versus Ag/AgCl after addition of ∆9- THC solution in the electrochemical cell, and limits of detection and quantification were 1.0 ng mL−1 and 3.5 ng mL−1, respectively. Other interfering plants showed distinct amperometric responses. This methodology was useful to detect ∆9- THC even in the presence of the Fast Blue B salt, which avoided false positive results for all the studied extract plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] A micromethod was developed for quantification of 5-n-alkylresorcinols (5nARs). [•] The 5nARs react with a Fast Blue RR salt (FBRR) in an alkaline alcoholic medium. [•] Readings of new method are highly correlated (R 2 =0.99) with a Fast Blue B method. [•] Bland–Altman plot suggests that both methods can be interchangeably used. [•] The new micromethod saves time, reagents and solvents for quantification of 5nARs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • Alkylresorcinols as biomarkers of gluten intake. • DHCA as target analyte in urine samples. • FB-doped PDMS-TEOS membranes as colorimetric sensing devices. • UV-vis spectroscopic at 520 nm for screening negative/positive responses. • In-tube SPME-CapLC to confirm DHCA as biomarker of gluten in-take. Celiac disease is an immune-mediated systemic disorder elicited by gluten and related prolamines in genetically susceptible individuals. The current treatment is a strict and lifelong gluten-free diet. However, compliance with the gluten-free diet is not always adequate and many food products contain low concentrations of gluten. The determination of dietary transgressions is a challenge for patients, physicians and dietitians. Alkylresorcinols (AR) have been proposed as sensitive and specific biomarkers of gluten consumption. In this work silica–polymer composites doped with fast blue B reagent (FB) have been used to estimate alkylresorcinols in biological samples. The proposed colorimetric device was synthetized by immobilizing FB into polydimethylsiloxane-tetraethylortosilicate composite. The assay was based on the spontaneous release of FB to the solution containing AR (3,5-dihydroxyhydrocinnamic acid, DHCA) and the azocomplexe formation (520 nm). The response was evaluated with UV-vis spectroscopy and chromatography (in-tube SPME-Capillary LC-DAD) to isolate DHCA signal. The spectroscopic analysis can be used as a screening tool to differentiate positive and negative samples. Meanwhile, the chromatographic assay was necessary to isolate DHCA response in positive samples. LOD was 60 ng mL -1 by adding a SPE step. Precision provided adequate results (RSD < 15%). Preliminary studies in urine samples displayed successful results, showing DHCA can be used as biomarker of gluten intake. The here proposed methodology clearly simplifies the dietary transgression evaluation thanks to the development of a pre-screening tool before the chromatographic analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report an extended whole-mount in situ hybridization procedure for Drosophila embryos. By using probes labelled with digoxigenin, fluorescein and biotin, respectively, this protocol allows the detection in three colours of RNAs derived from three different genes. Hybridized probes are detected by consecutive staining with appropriate alkaline phosphatase conjugates using different chromogenic substrate combinations, and serial removal of the antibody conjugates by low pH washes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]