NIST data show fentanyl adulterants rising and shifting across U.S. regions
NIST chemists analyzed thousands of fentanyl residue samples collected nationwide to map how toxic adulterants change over time and by region. The study, run through the RaDAR program, aims to give public health officials and first responders near-real-time warning of dangerous compounds entering local drug supplies so treatment protocols can adapt accordingly.
- NIST analyzed 4,563 drug residue samples collected nationwide between January 2024 and June 2026 as part of the RaDAR program.
- Xylazine, a veterinary anesthetic common on the East Coast, is being replaced by medetomidine, a more potent sedative causing severe withdrawal symptoms.
- BTMPS, an industrial plastics chemical that can cause eye inflammation and burning, has appeared in both eastern and western fentanyl samples since summer 2024.
- Samples in early 2024 typically contained one to two additives; six or more compounds are now common.
- Western U.S. fentanyl samples contain fewer additives on average but at higher concentrations than eastern samples.
Executive summary
A new NIST study, published in Drug Testing and Analysis, documents how adulterants mixed into illicit fentanyl change over time and vary by region of the United States. Researchers led by chemist Edward Sisco analyzed 4,563 drug residue samples collected…
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Source documents
https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2026/10/nist-study-shows-how-toxic-substances-mixed-fentanyl-vary-across-us-andRead by Regulus 16 Oct 2026 at 13:23 UTC
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