Establishing the consumption of synthetic cannabinoid JWH-018 by chromatography-mass spectrometry

s The consumption of JWH-018, an agonist of cannabinoid receptors within a number of smoking mixtures, can be established though the detection of its metabolites in human blood and urine. Using gas and liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, we identified 14 metabolites of JWH-018, products of mono- and dihydroxylation of aromatic and aliphatic moieties in the initial structure, carboxylation, dealkylation, and dealkylation followed by hydroxylation processes, in human and rat urine. The predominant metabolites excreted with urine, which can also be detected in human blood serum, were found to be products of monohydroxylation and in urine of rats, products of dealkylation with monohydroxylation.