Old Challenges, New Tools: Modern Mass Spectrometry in Forensic Toxicology
A special issue of Metabolites (ISSN 2218-1989). This special issue belongs to the section "Metabolomic Profiling Technology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2026) | Viewed by 1110
Editors
Interests: xenobiotics stability; alternative biological matrices; hair analysis; post-mortem toxicology; new psychoactive substances
Interests: new psychoactive substances; post-mortem toxicology; clinical toxicology; forensic toxicology; forensic medicine; intoxications
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Recent advancements in analytical technologies, particularly mass spectrometry, have opened up new possibilities for addressing long-standing challenges in forensic toxicology. Complex biological matrices, trace-level detection, and analytical interferences that once posed significant obstacles can now be approached with unprecedented precision and sensitivity.
This Special Issue aims to revisit classic problems in forensic toxicology through the lens of modern mass spectrometry, showcasing how state-of-the-art instrumentation, innovative sample preparation methods, and advanced data analysis strategies are transforming the field. We invite the submission of original research articles, reviews, and case studies that highlight methodological breakthroughs, novel applications, and future perspectives focused on the evolving role played by mass spectrometry in solving persistent forensic toxicology challenges.
Suggested topics of interest include the following:
- Revisiting classical toxicants with modern analytical approaches;
- Novel sample preparation and extraction methods for complex matrices;
- Quantitative and qualitative approaches in low-concentration analytes;
- Metabolite profiling and interpretation in forensic contexts;
- Advances in mass spectrometry techniques for forensic toxicology;
- High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) in the detection of emerging drugs, including NPSs;
- Data processing, chemometrics, and artificial intelligence in toxicological MS;
- Case studies applying modern MS to long-standing forensic challenges;
- Future perspectives on instrumentation and methodology in forensic toxicology.
Dr. Karolina Nowak
Prof. Dr. Marcin Zawadzki
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Metabolites is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- forensic toxicology
- mass spectrometry
- analytical challenges
- HRMS
- emerging drugs
- metabolite pro-filing
- sample preparation
- methodological advances
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