이재영 (UST )

이경륜 (한국생명공학연구원)

이재영 (UST )

정현철 (한국생명공학연구원)

김민주 (한국생명공학연구원)

이경륜 (한국생명공학연구원)

In forensic toxicology, determining drug exposure at the time of death is difficult when conventional matrices such as blood or organs are unavailable due to advanced decomposition. This study explored the potential of forensic entomotoxicology, which uses necrophagous insects feeding on decomposed remains to detect drugs.

Blowflies (Lucilia sericata) is among the first insects to colonize a corpse, with both adults and larvae feeding on decomposed tissues. We aimed to evaluate whether nicotine could be detected in various developmental stages—larvae, pupae, puparia, and adults—and to assess the feasibility of using insects as alternative matrices for postmortem drug detection.

Experimental animals were administered nicotine and allowed to decompose. Adult blowflies were introduced to induce oviposition, and insect samples were collected by stage. An LC-MS/MS method was developed to quantify nicotine and examine its accumulation across the insect life cycle. Samples were homogenized and prepared by protein precipitation. Separation was performed using a Xterra MS C18 column (50 × 2.1 mm, 3.5 µm) with gradient elution of water and acetonitrile (0.1% formic acid). Detection was carried out on a SCIEX API 4000 in APCI positive mode. Carbamazepine was used as the internal standard, and calibration ranged from 1–1000 ng/mL.

Nicotine was successfully detected in all developmental stages. These results suggest that drug residues in insect tissues may reflect those in decomposed carcass tissues, supporting the potential of insect-based matrices in forensic toxicology.