Citation

Sekine H, Nakahara Y. J. Forensic Sci. 1990; 35(3): 580-590.

Affiliation

Criminal Investigation Laboratory, Saitama Prefecture Police Headquarters, Japan.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1990, American Society for Testing and Materials, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

2348176

Abstract

The pyrolysis products of smoking methamphetamine mixed with tobacco were determined by gas chromatography (GC) and GC/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) methods. The mainstream smoke contained methamphetamine (14.5% of the initial methamphetamine), phenylacetone (3.1%). N-cyanomethylmethamphetamine (1.9%), trans-beta-methylstyrene (1.7%), N-formylmethamphetamine (1.5%), and other products (each less than 1%). The amount of each pyrolysis product in the sidestream smoke was less than that in the mainstream smoke by a factor of over 5, except for methamphetamine (10.5%) and N-formylmethamphetamine (1.4%). The formation mechanism of these products was investigated, by use of a pyrolyzer, from the standpoint of the material, pyrolysis temperature, and pyrolysis atmosphere. Although several products (for example, dimethylamphetamine and trans-beta-methylstyrene) were formed by thermal self-decomposition of methamphetamine alone, most of the products, except N-cyanomethylmethamphetamine, were formed chiefly by the thermal reaction of methamphetamine with cigarette components. The formation of N-cyanomethylmethamphetamine required air and a high pyrolysis temperature. Air and a high pyrolysis temperature generally accelerated the formation of the pyrolysis products.

Language: en