The chemical interconversion of GHB and GBL: forensic issues and implications

• Published in: Journal of forensic sciences Vol. 46; no. 6; p. 1315
• Main Authors: Ciolino, L A, Mesmer, M Z, Satzger, R D, Machal, A C, McCauley, H A, Mohrhaus, A S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.11.2001
• Subjects: 4-Butyrolactone - analysis; 4-Butyrolactone - chemistry; Beverages; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Drug Stability; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Hydroxybutyrates - analysis; Hydroxybutyrates - chemistry; Solutions; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Street Drugs - analysis; Street Drugs - chemistry; United States; United States Food and Drug Administration; Water - chemistry; United States

In this work, the interconversion of GHB and GBL in a variety of aqueous media was studied. The effects of solution pH and time were determined by spiking GHB or GBL into pure water and buffered aqueous solutions, and determining the GHB and GBL contents at various time intervals. The degree of GBL...