Abstract

SABOGAL-CARMONA, Juan S  and  URREGO-NOVOA, José R. Quantifying the chemical composition of crack-cocaine (bazuco) samples seized in Colombia during the first half of 2010. Rev. salud pública [online]. 2012, vol.14, n.6, pp.1010-1021. ISSN 0124-0064.

Objectives Quantifying crack-cocaine (known locally as bazuco or smokable cocaine base paste-PBC) use and identifying other components in study conditions regarding samples of crack-cocaine seized in Colombia and held by the Colombian Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Science Narcotics Laboratory in Bogota during the first half of 2010. Methods A cross-sectional, exploratory analytical study was carried out for chemically characterizing crack-cocaine samples by the gas chromatography analytical methodology using ion trap mass spectrometry developed and validated in the Universidad National de Colombia's Medicine Faculty's Toxicology Laboratory in Bogota. Results A 4 % to 70 % w/w cocaine base concentration was found in the 109 samples tested (37 % w/w mean); 73 % of the samples had 20 % to 50 % w/w concentration. Other coca alkaloids were identified, such astropacocaine, trans-cinnamoylcocaine, norcocaine and ecgonine methyl ester. Caffeine was identified as an adulterantin 57 % of the samples and phenacetin in 2.8 % of them. Discussion The toxicological significance of the results concerning crack-cocaine consumers was quantified, given the profile for chronic users.

Keywords : Crack-cocaine; street drugs; chromatography; gas; mass spectrometry.

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