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Open AccessArticle
Analysis of β-Methylphenethylamine (BMPEA) and Its Novel Metabolites in Rat Blood Using MMSPE and UPLC-qTOF-MS
by
Ahmad Alamir
Ahmad Alamir 1,2,*
,
James Watterson
James Watterson 3 and
Ibraheem Attafi
Ibraheem Attafi 1,4,*
1
Forensic Toxicology Services, Ministry of Health Branch in Jazan Region, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
2
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
3
Department of Forensic Science, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
4
South Al-Qunfudah General Hospital, Makkah Health Cluster, Makkah 21912, Saudi Arabia
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Toxics 2025, 13(12), 1011; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13121011 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 12 October 2025
/
Revised: 10 November 2025
/
Accepted: 17 November 2025
/
Published: 22 November 2025
Abstract
β-Methylphenethylamine (BMPEA), a positional isomer of amphetamine increasingly detected in dietary supplements and weight-loss products, poses significant analytical challenges in forensic and doping control due to its structural similarity to amphetamine. This study presents a validated analytical workflow combining mixed-mode solid-phase extraction (MMSPE) with ultra-performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-qTOF-MS) for the selective quantification of BMPEA and identification of its metabolites in rat cardiac blood. Blood was taken at 20 and 90 min after injection from twelve adult male Sprague-Dawley rats that were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 3): an untreated control, a low-dose cohort (10 mg/kg, i.p.), and two high-dose cohorts (30 mg/kg, i.p.). The technique demonstrated strong differentiation between BMPEA and amphetamine isomers, excellent linearity over 20–1000 ng/mL (R2 > 0.99), and quantification limits appropriate for forensic applications. A short biological half-life and quick elimination kinetics are consistent with related phenethylamines, as evidenced by the peak BMPEA concentrations of 899 ng/mL at 20 min and 22 ng/mL at 90 min. Comprehensive low- and high-energy mass spectrometric analyses revealed a novel BMPEA metabolite, characterized as 1-amino-2-phenylpropan-2-ol, based on fragmentation patterns and retention time comparison with reference standards. This work delivers a rigorous, high-sensitivity analytical tool for BMPEA detection in biological matrices and enhances understanding of its metabolic fate, offering critical biomarkers for forensic toxicology and anti-doping investigations.
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MDPI and ACS Style
Alamir, A.; Watterson, J.; Attafi, I.
Analysis of β-Methylphenethylamine (BMPEA) and Its Novel Metabolites in Rat Blood Using MMSPE and UPLC-qTOF-MS. Toxics 2025, 13, 1011.
https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13121011
AMA Style
Alamir A, Watterson J, Attafi I.
Analysis of β-Methylphenethylamine (BMPEA) and Its Novel Metabolites in Rat Blood Using MMSPE and UPLC-qTOF-MS. Toxics. 2025; 13(12):1011.
https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13121011
Chicago/Turabian Style
Alamir, Ahmad, James Watterson, and Ibraheem Attafi.
2025. "Analysis of β-Methylphenethylamine (BMPEA) and Its Novel Metabolites in Rat Blood Using MMSPE and UPLC-qTOF-MS" Toxics 13, no. 12: 1011.
https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13121011
APA Style
Alamir, A., Watterson, J., & Attafi, I.
(2025). Analysis of β-Methylphenethylamine (BMPEA) and Its Novel Metabolites in Rat Blood Using MMSPE and UPLC-qTOF-MS. Toxics, 13(12), 1011.
https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13121011
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