Recommended methods for the identification and analysis of fentanyl and its analogues in biological specimens. Manual for use by national drug analysis laboratories.

The present manual is one in a series of similar UNODC publications dealing with the identification and analysis of various types of drugs under international control. These manuals are the outcome of a programme pursued by UNODC since the early 1980s, aimed at the harmonization and establishment of recommended methods of analysis for national drug analysis laboratories. The present manual is the first to deal specifically with the analysis of the growing class of fentanyl-related compounds and focuses on testing in biological tissues and fluids, to assist with investigation of fentanyl-related poisonings and deaths. Many of these analytical considerations also apply to analysis of seized drugs. The first part of the manual discusses the pharmacology and toxicology of fentanyl and its analogues, which is an especially important consideration for this drug class, because the potency of the substances can vary widely. This is followed by a discussion of validated analytical methodologies, using different analytical techniques and instrumental modes of operation