Chinese Journal of Forensic Sciences, Volume. , Issue 3, 51(2025)

Identification of Metonitazene, a Nitazene New Psychoactive Substance in E-liquids

YANG Qiao1, HU Rui2, WU Bo3, CAO Yu1, TANG Boyi2, ZHANG Zhonghui1, and SU Mengxiang2
Author Affiliations
  • 1Division of Narcotic Control, Nanjing Public Security Bureau, Nanjing 210042, China
  • 2School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
  • 3Department of Criminal Investigation, Nanjing Public Security Bureau, Nanjing 210001, China
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    References(13)

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    [3] [3] World Health Organization (WHO). Critical review re-port: Metonitazene[EB/OL]. [2024-02-17]. https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/metonitazene---critical-revie w-report.

    [4] [4] BLANCKAERT P, CANNAERT A, VAN UYTFANGHE K,et al.Report on a novel emerging class of highly po-tent benzimidazole NPS opioids:Chemical andin vitrofunctional characterization of isotonitazene[J]. Drug Testing and Analysis,2020, 12(4):422-430.

    [5] [5] Schedules of controlled substances: Temporary place-ment of butonitazene, etodesnitazene, flunitazene, metodesnitazene, metonitazene, N-pyrrolidino etonitazene, and protonitazene in schedule I[J]. Federal Register, 2022, 87(70):21556-21561.

    [6] [6] MORIOKA F, FUJII S, KAMATA H,et al.Postmortem examination and toxicological analysis for acute metonitazene intoxication in Japan: A case report[J]. Legal Medicine, 2023, 61: 102216.

    [7] [7] MONTANARI E, MADEO G, PICHINI S,et al.Acute in-toxications and fatalities associated with benzimidazole opioid (nitazene analog) use: A systematic review[J]. Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, 2022, 44(4):494-510.

    [8] [8] KROTULSKI A J, PAPSUN D M, WALTON S E,et al.Metonitazene in the United States—Forensic toxicology assessment of a potent new synthetic opioid using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry[J]. Drug Testing and Analysis, 2021, 13(10): 1697-1711.

    [9] [9] BLANCKAERT P, BALCAEN M, VANHEE C,et al.Analytical characterization of "etonitazepyne," a new pyrrolidinyl-containing 2-benzylbenzimidazole opioid sold online [J]. Drug Testing and Analysis, 2021, 13(9):1627-1634.

    [10] [10] PAPSUN D M, KROTULSKI A J, LOGAN B K. Proliferation of novel synthetic opioids in postmortem investigations after core-structure scheduling for fentanyl-related substances[J]. The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology,2022,43(4):315-327.

    [11] [11] PARDI J,FORD S,COOPER G. Validation of an analytical method for quantitation of metonitazene and isotonitazene in plasma, blood, urine, liver and brain and application to authentic postmortem casework in New York City[J]. Journal of Analytical Toxicology, 2023, 47(8): 648-655.

    [12] [12] SCHLLER M,LUCIC I,IESTAD M L,et al.High-throughput quantification of emerging “nitazene” benz-imidazole opioid analogs by microextraction and UHPLC-MS-MS[J]. Journal of Analytical Toxicology,2023,47(9): 787-796.

    [15] [15] KROTULSKI A J, WALTON S E, FOGARTY M F,et al.NPS discovery toolkit: Metonitazene[EB/OL]. [2024-02-17]. https://www.cfsre.org/images/toolkits/Metonita-zene_NPS-Discovery-Toolkit_072021.pdf.

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    YANG Qiao, HU Rui, WU Bo, CAO Yu, TANG Boyi, ZHANG Zhonghui, SU Mengxiang. Identification of Metonitazene, a Nitazene New Psychoactive Substance in E-liquids[J]. Chinese Journal of Forensic Sciences, 2025, (3): 51

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    Paper Information

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    Received: Apr. 10, 2024

    Accepted: Aug. 26, 2025

    Published Online: Aug. 26, 2025

    The Author Email:

    DOI:10.3969/j.issn.1671-2072.2025.03.007

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