Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39122972›Full record

ArticleForensic toxicology2025

How to trace etomidate in illegal E-cigarettes from authentic human hair: identification, quantification and multiple-factor analysis.

Wanting Xie, Liying Zhou, Jinting Liu, Ziyi Li, Zehong Li, Wen Gao, Yan Shi

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Forensic toxicology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Interpol review of forensic toxicology, 2023-2025.Forensic science international. Synergy · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Wanting XieDepartment of Forensic Toxicology, Academy of Forensic Science, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Forensic Science Platform, Key Laboratory of Forensic Sciences, Ministry of Justice, Shanghai, 200063, People's Republic of China.
Liying ZhouDepartment of Forensic Toxicology, Academy of Forensic Science, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Forensic Science Platform, Key Laboratory of Forensic Sciences, Ministry of Justice, Shanghai, 200063, People's Republic of China.
Jinting LiuDepartment of Forensic Toxicology, Academy of Forensic Science, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Forensic Science Platform, Key Laboratory of Forensic Sciences, Ministry of Justice, Shanghai, 200063, People's Republic of China.
Ziyi LiDepartment of Forensic Toxicology, Academy of Forensic Science, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Forensic Science Platform, Key Laboratory of Forensic Sciences, Ministry of Justice, Shanghai, 200063, People's Republic of China.
Zehong LiDepartment of Forensic Toxicology, Academy of Forensic Science, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Forensic Science Platform, Key Laboratory of Forensic Sciences, Ministry of Justice, Shanghai, 200063, People's Republic of China.
Wen GaoChina National Narcotics Control Commission-ChinaPharmaceutical University JointLaboratory On Key Technologies of Narcotics Control, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China. gw_cpu@126.com.
Yan ShiDepartment of Forensic Toxicology, Academy of Forensic Science, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Forensic Science Platform, Key Laboratory of Forensic Sciences, Ministry of Justice, Shanghai, 200063, People's Republic of China. shiy@ssfjd.cn.ORCID 0000-0002-5525-1048

Funding

National Key Research and Development Program of China 2022YFC3302003National Natural Science Foundation of China 82271932Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine 21DZ2270800
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe abusive consumption of illegal E-cigarettes containing etomidate (ET) can have a significant impact on public mental and physical well-being. The purpose of this study is to establish a rapid quantitative method using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) for the targeted screening of etomidate (ET) and its metabolite etomidate acid (ETA) in hair samples.

methodsA 1 mL methanol solution containing the internal standard ET-d

resultsThe limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were determined to be 1 pg/mg and 10 pg/mg, respectively, for ET, and 10 pg/mg and 25 pg/mg, respectively, for ETA. Calibration curves for all analytes showed good linearity (r > 0.997), indicating a reliable method. Accuracies were between 92.12% and 110.72%. Intra-day and inter-day precision for all analytes at all concentration levels were below 10.13%. Analyte recoveries ranged from 86.90% to 101.43%, with a matrix effect ranging from -18.55% to -14.93%.

conclusionsThe validated method was successfully used to analyze 105 hair samples from suspected ET users. Of these, 50 tested positive for ET and 43 tested positive for ETA above the LOQ. This demonstrates the effectiveness of the developed UHPLC-MS/MS method in detecting ET and ETA in hair samples, which could be instrumental in addressing the issue of illegal E-cigarette abuse and its impact on public health.

Indexed as

Electronic Nicotine Delivery SystemsEtomidateHairHypnotics and SedativesSubstance Abuse DetectionChromatography, High Pressure LiquidForensic ToxicologyHumansLimit of DetectionTandem Mass SpectrometryEtomidateHypnotics and SedativesEtomidateEtomidate acidHairIllegal E-cigaretteUHPLC-MS/MS

Identifiers

PMID39122972

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.