Ion beam analysis (IBA) and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) for forensic characterisation of authentic Viagra® and of sildenafil-based illegal products

Ion beam analysis (IBA) and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) for forensic characterisation of authentic Viagra® and of sildenafil-based illegal products

Romolo, Francesco Saverio (University of Bergamo)
Sarilar, M. (TU Delft RID/TS/Technici Pool)
Antoine, Johann (University of the West Indies)
Mestria, Serena (Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore)
Strano Rossi, Sabina (Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore)
Gallidabino, Matteo Davide (University of Northumbria)
Soares de Souza, Guilherme Maurício (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul)
Chytry, Paola (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul)
Ferraz Dias, Johnny (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul)

2020

Illegal trafficking of pharmaceutical products by criminal organisations is a global threat for public health. Drugs for erectile dysfunction such as phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors are the most commonly counterfeited medicines in Europe. The search of possible toxic chemical substances in seized products is needed to provide early warning for public health. Furthermore, the elemental profile of the seized products can be useful in criminal investigations. For the first time an ion beam analysis (IBA) procedure to characterise authentic Viagra® tablets and sildenafil-based illegal products is described. Moreover, results are compared with the ones obtained by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) on authentic Viagra® tablets in two reactors. IBA results showed that a combination of particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and secondary ion mass spectrometry using primary ions with energies in the range of several MeV (MeV-SIMS) is a powerful tool to characterise different products in a straightforward manner, allowing discrimination between legal and illegal products. INAA allowed accurate elemental quantification and also showed a great potential for the future implementation of an inter-laboratory classification system.

Counterfeit pharmaceutical products
Dietary supplements
Forensic analysis
Illegal pharmaceutical products
Ion beam analysis
Neutron activation analysis
Sildenafil
Viagra®

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:2e9cdd8e-c0a0-474e-8cf5-07ab307825c5

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2020.121829

2021-12-20

0039-9140

Talanta, 224

Accepted Author Manuscript

Institutional Repository

journal article

© 2020 Francesco Saverio Romolo, M. Sarilar, Johann Antoine, Serena Mestria, Sabina Strano Rossi, Matteo Davide Gallidabino, Guilherme Maurício Soares de Souza, Paola Chytry, Johnny Ferraz Dias