Next Article in Journal
Effects of Soil Restoration in Cadmium-Polluted Areas on Body Cadmium Burden and Renal Tubular Damage in Inhabitants in Japan
Previous Article in Journal
Increased PM2.5 Caused by Enhanced Fireworks Burning and Secondary Aerosols in a Forested City of North China During the 2023–2025 Spring Festivals
 
 
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Analysis of β-Methylphenethylamine (BMPEA) and Its Novel Metabolites in Rat Blood Using MMSPE and UPLC-qTOF-MS

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
(This article belongs to the Section Novel Methods in Toxicology Research)

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.
Keywords: amphetamine-related substances; forensic toxicology; β-methylphenethylamine (BMPEA); 1-amino-2-phenylpropan-2-ol; UPLC-qTOF-MS amphetamine-related substances; forensic toxicology; β-methylphenethylamine (BMPEA); 1-amino-2-phenylpropan-2-ol; UPLC-qTOF-MS

Share and Cite

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

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop