Drug Analysis

Forensic Science/CSI

Foster

How would you figure out which type of drug each of these are?

TestsDrug Identification

Screening or presumptive tests

Spot or color tests

Microcrystalline test—

a reagent is added, producing a crystalline precipitate that is unique for a certain drug

Chromatography

Confirmatory tests

Spectrophotometry

• Ultraviolet (UV)

• Visible

• Infrared (IR)

Mass spectrometry

Forensics Unit 3 Notes

Drug- a natural or synthetic substance designed to affect the subject psychologically or physiologically

Controlled Drugs- material whose possession is controlled by law (Controlled Substances Act)illegal- drug that is against the law to have, use, or distribute.illicit- is a legal drug used in an inappropriate or illegal way.

Controlled Substances ActSchedule I—high potential for abuse; no currently accepted medical

use in the U.S.; a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision

Examples: heroin (diacetylmorphine), LSD, marijuana, ecstasy (MDMA)

Schedule II—high potential for abuse; a currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions; abuse may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence

Examples: cocaine, morphine, amphetamines (including methamphetamines), PCP, Ritalin

Don’t write

Controlled Substances Act, continuedSchedule III—lower potential for abuse than the drugs in I or II; a

currently accepted medical use in the U.S.; abuse may lead to moderate physical dependence or high psychological dependence

Examples: intermediate-acting barbiturates, anabolic steroids, ketamine

Schedule IV—low potential for abuse relative to drugs in III; a currently accepted medical use in the U.S.; abuse may lead to limited physical or psychological dependence relative to drugs in IIIExamples: stimulants and depressants including Valium, Xanax, Librium, phenobarbital, Darvon

Don’t write

Controlled Substances Act, continuedSchedule V—low potential for abuse relative to drugs in IV; currently

accepted medical use in the U.S.; abuse may lead to limited physical or psychological dependence relative to drugs in IV

Examples: codeine found in low doses in cough medicines

Don’t write

Write This“The higher on the schedule the lower the risk for addiction/danger”

1. Hallucinogens- naturally occurring substances that change thought processes, perceptions and moods

a. Ex: Marijuana, LSD

2. Stimulants- act on the central nervous system to make the user feel better and increase his/her energy alertness while suppressing appetite and fatigue

a. Ex: Cocaine, caffeine

3. Narcotics- relieve paina. Ex: Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Codeine, Morphine,

Heroin b. Designer drugs- designed for abuse and evasion of specific

drug laws

Types of Drugs

1. Spot Tests- chemical reaction occurs causing a color change

a. Must use further testing to confirm – spectroscopy

Testing for Drugs

If it is a color change why is it a chemical change and not a physical change?HINT:Why does the color change occur?

2. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC)- separates the components of the mixture

Testing for Drugs

Testing for Drugs (cont.)

3. Metabolism- the sum of all chemical processes in an organism

a. Metabolites- molecules involved in the process of metabolism (found in hair)

b. The presence of metabolites implies what the original chemical was

c. Can lead to false positives

4. Presumptive (screening) Test- presumes the presence of the questioned substance

a. Tests using color- for marijuana, LSD, amphetamines, cocaine, heroin, barbiturates

Testing for Drugs (cont.)

Marquis—turns purple in the presence of most opium derivatives and orange-brown with amphetamines

Dille-Koppanyi—turns violet-blue in the presence of barbiturates

Duquenois-Levine—turns a purple color in the presence of marijuana

Van Urk—turns a blue-purple in the presence of LSD

Scott test—color test for cocaine; blue

5. Confirmatory tests- specifically identify one substance (many different types)a. Spectroscopy- study of radiation and it’s interaction

with matter1) Infrared spec. studies absorption of energy near IR

2) Mass spec. studies presence of ions- atoms or molecules that have lost or gained one ore more electrons and have a charge (positive or negative)

Testing for Drugs (cont.)

EM Spectrum- compare these 2 diagrams

Infrared Spectrometry

Measures the transmittance of infrared radiation

Mass Spectrometry Separates components of a mixture by mass and then measures the quantity of the substance with that mass.

Gas Spectrometry

Part 1- Separated by boiling pt.Part 2- Separated by massPart 3- Measured and Reported