De Caprio, Anthony
- Associate Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry , College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Overview
overview
- Anthony P. DeCaprio is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Florida International University. Dr. DeCaprio also directs the Forensic & Analytical Toxicology Facility (FATF) at FIU, a university recharge facility that provides research support and services to FIU and other investigators in the area of analytical/clinical/forensic toxicology. He also directs the FEPAC-accredited undergraduate Forensic Science Certificate program at FIU. Dr. DeCaprio is a toxicologist with extensive research experience in neurotoxicology and the chemical analysis of drugs, environmental contaminants, and other xenobiotics in human specimens using MS-based techniques. He has published more than 80 peer-reviewed research articles and book chapters in addition to editing the book “Toxicologic Biomarkers” and has made over 100 presentations at research conferences. Dr. DeCaprio received a B.S. in Biology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Ph.D. in Toxicology from Albany Medical College. He previously worked as a Research Scientist with the New York State Department of Health Wadsworth Laboratories and served in academic positions at UAlbany and UMass Amherst. Currently, his research program is concentrated in the area of human exposure assessment with the following specific projects underway: 1) Development and validation of methods for comprehensive mass spectrometric based analysis of xenobiotics (i.e., drugs of abuse, pharmaceuticals, and environmental pollutants) in human specimens and the application of such methods in forensic, clinical, and epidemiological studies 2) Study of covalent interactions of reactive drugs and metabolites with biological proteins and their potential application as longer-term biomarkers of drug exposure, and 3) Development of synthetic antibody technologies for rapid preparation of drug specific probes for immunoassays. In particular, Dr. DeCaprio’s research at FIU has focused on the chemistry and analysis of “novel psychoactive substances”. He has been PI on grants from NIEHS, NCI, NIOSH, ATSDR, and the National Institute of Justice, in addition to developing major collaborations with industry partners.
research interests
- Dr. DeCaprio’s areas of research interest include the use of biomonitoring and biomarkers in forensic toxicology and human exposure assessment, methods for ultra-trace analysis of drugs, pollutants, and their metabolites, and investigation of protein adducts as exposure/risk biomarkers and as mediators of the mechanism of toxicity of pollutants and drugs.
Scholarly & Creative Works
selected publications
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Article
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2020Comprehensive analysis of synthetic cannabinoids and metabolites in oral fluid by online solid-phase extraction coupled to liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole-mass spectrometry. ANALYTICAL AND BIOANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/s00216-020-02926-9 Web of Science: 000568162900001
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2020Application of statistical design of experiments to assess pre-treatment parameters in forensic hair analysis for amphetamine. FORENSIC CHEMISTRY. 20.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.forc.2020.100265 Web of Science: 000576950100001
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2020Ultrasound-induced remediation of the second-generation antihistamine, Cetirizine. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING. 8.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.jece.2020.103680 Web of Science: 000546661500010
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2019Systematic analysis of novel psychoactive substances. II. Development of a screening/confirmatory LC-QqQ-MS/MS method for 800. FORENSIC CHEMISTRY. 16.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.forc.2019.100189 Web of Science: 000496920400014
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2019LC-MS/MS based detection and characterization of covalent glutathione modifications formed by reactive drug of abuse metabolites. XENOBIOTICA. 49:778-790.Full Text via DOI: 10.1080/00498254.2018.1504256 Web of Science: 000465093200002
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2019Conodipine-P1-3, the First Phospholipases A(2) Characterized from Injected Cone Snail Venom. MOLECULAR & CELLULAR PROTEOMICS. 18:876-891.Full Text via DOI: 10.1074/mcp.RA118.000972 Web of Science: 000467185700005
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2019Separation and Identification of Isomeric and Structurally Related Synthetic Cannabinoids Using 2D Liquid Chromatography and High Resolution Mass Spectrometry. JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL TOXICOLOGY. 43:170-178.Full Text via DOI: 10.1093/jat/bky081 Web of Science: 000463811700004
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2018Fundamental study of the ultrasonic induced degradation of the popular antihistamine, diphenhydramine (DPH). WATER RESEARCH. 144.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2018.07.032 Web of Science: 000447569300025
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2018Systematic analysis of novel psychoactive substances. I. Development of a compound database and HRMS spectral library. FORENSIC CHEMISTRY. 9.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.forc.2018.03.003 Web of Science: 000436880100002
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2017Isolation and characterization of Conohyal-P1, a hyaluronidase from the injected venom of Conus purpurascens. JOURNAL OF PROTEOMICS. 164:73-84.
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2016Diabetes Prevalence in Relation to Serum Concentrations of Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Congener Groups and Three Chlorinated Pesticides in a Native American Population. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES. 124:1376-1383.
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2015Changes in persistent organic pollutant levels from adolescence to young adulthood. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH. 140:214-224.
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2014Cross-reactivity of designer drugs, including cathinone derivatives, in commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. DRUG TESTING AND ANALYSIS. 6:716-727.
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2014Relationships of Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p '-DDE) with Testosterone Levels in Adolescent Males. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES. 122:304-309.
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2013Covalent Adduction of Nitrogen Mustards to Model Protein Nucleophiles. CHEMICAL RESEARCH IN TOXICOLOGY. 26:1263-1271.
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2013Covalent Thiol Adducts Arising from Reactive Intermediates of Cocaine Biotransformation. CHEMICAL RESEARCH IN TOXICOLOGY. 26:1755-1764.
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2013Determination of 32 cathinone derivatives and other designer drugs in serum by comprehensive LC-QQQ-MS/MS analysis. ANALYTICAL AND BIOANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY. 405:1383-1397.
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2013Evaluation of in vitro metabolic systems for common drugs of abuse. 1. Cocaine. XENOBIOTICA. 43:1043-1054.
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2012Application of the Hard and Soft, Acids and Bases (HSAB) Theory to Toxicant-Target Interactions. CHEMICAL RESEARCH IN TOXICOLOGY. 25:239-251.
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2011Levels of persistent organic pollutant and their predictors among young adults. CHEMOSPHERE. 83:1374-1382.
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2010gamma-Diketone Axonopathy: Analyses of Cytoskeletal Motors and Highways in CNS Myelinated Axons. TOXICOLOGICAL SCIENCES. 117:180-189.
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2009Analysis of PCB congeners related to cognitive functioning in adolescents. NEUROTOXICOLOGY. 30:686-696.
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2009Comparative Covalent Protein Binding of 2,5-Hexanedione and 3-Acetyl-2,5-Hexanedione in the Rat. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH-PART A-CURRENT ISSUES. 72.Full Text via DOI: 10.1080/15287390902959508 Web of Science: 000267371500002
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Book Chapter
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2006
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Conference
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Meeting Abstract
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2018Fundamental studies of ultrasound induced degradation of a popular antihistamine, cetirizine. ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY.Web of Science: 000435539901335
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2014Photodegradation of iodinated X-ray contrast media iopamidol by Fe(III)-oxalate system with the composition of H2O2. ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY.Web of Science: 000349165105696
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Review
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2011Tenuous dose-response correlations for common disease states: case study of cholesterol and perfluorooctanoate/sulfonate (PFOA/PFOS) in the C8 Health Project. DRUG AND CHEMICAL TOXICOLOGY. 396-404.
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Works By Students
chaired theses and dissertations
- Seither, Joshua Zolton, Application of High Resolution Mass Spectrometry for the Screening and Confirmation of Novel Psychoactive Substances 2018
- Thompson, Vanessa R, Covalent Protein Adduction of Nitrogen Mustards and Related Compounds 2014
- Swortwood, Madeleine Jean, Comprehensive Forensic Toxicological Analysis of Designer Drugs 2013
- Schneider, Kevin, Covalent Protein Adduction by Drugs of Abuse 2013
Research
principal investigator on
- Comprehensive Forensic Toxicological Analysis of Designer Drugs awarded by National Institute of Justice 2012 - 2013
- Comparative Evaluation of Low- and High-Resolution MS Approaches for Screening and Confirmation of New Psychoactive Substances in Human Specimen Matrices awarded by U.S. Department of Justice 2022 - 2023
- Biomarkers of Cannabis Exposure in Exhaled Breath Condensate and Oral Fluid awarded by National Institute of Justice 2021 - 2022
- LC-QqQ-MS screening assay for abused drug exposure based on covalent peptide/protein modification awarded by National Institute of Justice 2021 - 2022
- Evaluating Analytical Parameters and Understanding Drug-Matrix Interactions in Forensic Hair Analysis awarded by National Institute of Justice 2019 - 2022
- Novel Blood Protein Modification Assay for Retrospective Detection of Drug Exposure - Development and Validation awarded by National Institute of Justice 2018 - 2021
- Optimization of Pretreatment Parameters in Hair Analysis for Drugs of Abuse and Understanding Protein-Drug Interactions awarded by National Institute of Justice 2017 - 2020
- Development of Improved Extraction/Purification Methods for LC-QqQ-MS Analysis of Novel Psychoactive Substances awarded by National Institute of Justice 2017 - 2019
- Forensic Toxicological Screening/Confirmation of 500+ Designer Drugs by LC-QTOF-MS and LC-QqQ-MS Analysis awarded by National Institute of Justice 2015 - 2018
- Novel Blood Protein Modification Assay for Retrospective Detection of Drug Exposure. awarded by National Institute of Justice 2016 - 2018
- Platform for High-Throughput Analysis of Protein Adducts for Carcinogen Exposure awarded by National Cancer Institute 2011 - 2015
- Molecular Mechanisms of Hexacarbon Induced Axon Atrophy. awarded by Environmental Health Sciences 2009 - 2011
co-principal investigator on
subproject principal investigator on
investigator on
- Development of a DNA adductome database awarded by National Institutes of Health 2019 - 2020
Contact
full name
- Anthony De Caprio
visualizations
Recent publications and grants in Scholars@FIU
publication subject areas
Citation index-derived subject areas the researcher has published in