Updating the RADIAN™ ASAP™ Seized Drug Reference Library

Importance of the Topic

Forensic drug chemistry laboratories face growing demands to process large volumes of seized substances quickly and accurately. Effective screening workflows require rapid, selective methods and up-to-date reference libraries to address emerging illicit drugs while complying with guidelines that mandate multiple independent analyses.

Objectives and Study Overview

This white paper outlines a streamlined workflow for updating the RADIAN™ ASAP™ seized drug reference library. Using benzimidazole compounds, including isotonitazene, the study demonstrates how laboratories can incorporate new analytes into existing libraries to enhance screening capabilities and maintain relevance in a dynamic drug landscape.

Methodology and Instrumentation

The process involves:

• Sample preparation: Dissolve certified reference materials of benzimidazoles at 50 µg/mL in methanol.
• Data acquisition: Analyze each compound with RADIAN ASAP in positive ionization mode, acquiring continuum full-scan MS data (m/z 50–600) at four cone voltages (15, 25, 35, 50 V).
• Spectral processing: Combine continuum spectra across peaks and convert to centroid using MassLynx parameters.
• Library update: Duplicate and edit existing entries in MSP Librarian, paste centroid spectra, limit peak lists, and save the updated library.
• Screening: Load the revised library into LiveID 2.0 for automated spectral matching.

The main instruments and software include the RADIAN ASAP source, a mass spectrometer, MassLynx, MSP Librarian, and LiveID 2.0.

Key Results and Discussion

Reanalysis of twelve benzimidazole compounds with LiveID yielded high match scores (924–999) against the updated library, demonstrating robust identification performance. Etonitazene analysis achieved match factors above 960 across replicates, confirming reliable detection at all cone voltages.

Benefits and Practical Applications

This approach enables forensic laboratories to rapidly integrate emerging analytes into screening protocols, ensuring compliance with best practices and improving responsiveness to new drug trends. The use of open-source tools promotes flexibility and user-driven library management.

Future Trends and Applications

Potential developments include automated workflows for real-time library updates, machine learning–enhanced spectral matching, expansion to diverse drug classes, and field-deployable screening solutions with connectivity to centralized libraries.

Conclusion

The described workflow simplifies the integration of novel drug analytes into the RADIAN ASAP screening method and reference library, allowing forensic laboratories to maintain up-to-date screening capabilities in an evolving illicit drug environment.

References

• Scientific Working Group for the Analysis of Seized Drugs. Recommendations, Edition 8, 13 June 2019.
• Wood M. Radian ASAP with LiveID – Fast, Specific, and Easy Drug Screening. Waters Application Note 720007125, 2021.