Using Emerging Forensic Science Technology to Improve Tracking of Opioid Deaths

Synthetic variants of traditional drugs of abuse continue to increase in popularity across the entire population of drug abusers. The ease and frequency with which chemical changes are made to these drugs, and the small amounts of lethal doses contained in them, presents challenges for laboratories relying principally on outdated GC/MS technology. The Office of the Medical Examiner and Trauma Services (OMETS) in Broward County, Florida, proposes the purchase of the Mass Spectrometry XS00R QTOF PLATFORM to address the detection complexity and limitations created by current GC/MS technology. It will provide the capability and capacity to screen for unknown compounds in complex samples and detect the full range of opioid drugs that may be present. This will result in the ability to detect important low abundance peptides and post-translational modifications that may be missed with other approaches. This year's award would be used to purchase the Mass Spectrometry XS00R QTOF PLATFORM. The outcomes will be improved accuracy and quality of forensic services to identify drugs in the system of decedents that would otherwise avoid detection. It is projected that this program will have a substantial impact on the Qualified Opportunity Zones in Broward County. CA/NCF