Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40232631›Full record

ArticleForensic toxicology2025

Evaluation of dried blood spot sampling for verification of exposure to chemical threat agents.

Katie A Walker, Trinity K Rudd, Justin N Vignola, Thomas M McClymont, Noah D Roberts, Kevin Laitipaya, Robert C diTargiani

Abstract read
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 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Katie A WalkerUnited States Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, 8350 Ricketts Point Road, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, 21010, USA.
Trinity K RuddUnited States Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, 8350 Ricketts Point Road, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, 21010, USA.
Justin N VignolaUnited States Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, 8350 Ricketts Point Road, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, 21010, USA.
Thomas M McClymontUnited States Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, 8350 Ricketts Point Road, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, 21010, USA.
Noah D RobertsUnited States Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, 8350 Ricketts Point Road, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, 21010, USA.
Kevin LaitipayaUnited States Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, 8350 Ricketts Point Road, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, 21010, USA.
Robert C diTargianiUnited States Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, 8350 Ricketts Point Road, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, 21010, USA. robert.c.ditargiani.civ@health.mil.ORCID 0000-0003-3439-2586

Funding

Defense Threat Reduction Agency CB10687
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeExposure to chemical threat agents (CTAs), including nerve agents, the vesicating agent sulfur mustard, and opioids, remains a significant threat to warfighter and civilian populations. Definitive analytical methods to verify exposure to CTAs require shipping refrigerated or frozen biomedical samples to reference laboratories for analysis. Logistical and financial burdens arise as the transport of biomedical samples is subject to strict restrictions and complex packaging, which, if done incorrectly, can lead to sample deterioration. The use of dried blood spot (DBS) sampling could provide operational improvements for collecting, storing, and shipping important forensic samples. Therefore, this effort focuses on developing DBS techniques with Mitra® 30-µL volumetric absorptive microsampling (VAMS®) devices for use in CTA exposure verification.

methodsVAMS® devices were loaded and dried with human whole blood that was exposed to the metabolites pinacolyl methylphosphonic acid (PMPA), ethyl methylphosphonic acid (EMPA), 1,1'sulfonylbis[2-(methylsulfinyl)ethane] (SBMSE), norfentanyl, norcarfentanil, norsufentanil, and norlofentanil. Following extraction from the VAMS® devices, metabolites were detected using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The methods were validated for performance by assessing sensitivity, precision, accuracy, and recovery.

resultsThese methods were sensitive to 1 ng/mL for SBMSE, 0.5 ng/mL for PMPA, EMPA, and norfentanyl; 0.1 ng/mL for norlofentanil, and 0.05 ng/mL for norsufentanil and norcarfentanil. All methods met acceptable precision and accuracy criteria with favorable recovery.

conclusionsThese results demonstrated the utility of VAMS® in stabilizing human whole blood and show promise as an improved collection method for verification of exposure to various CTAs.

Indexed as

Chemical Warfare AgentsDried Blood Spot TestingChromatography, LiquidForensic ToxicologyHumansTandem Mass SpectrometryChemical Warfare AgentsDried blood spotLiquid chromatographyMass spectrometryNerve agentOpioidSulfur mustard

Identifiers

PMID40232631
PMCPMC12241275

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.