This document discusses the examination of dangerous drugs, including how drugs are identified and tested. It describes the process of qualitative and quantitative examination, which involves preliminary color tests and confirmatory tests like chromatography and spectroscopy. It also discusses examining urine specimens to test for drug use, including validity tests to check for tampering through dilution, adulteration, or substitution.
This document discusses the examination of dangerous drugs, including how drugs are identified and tested. It describes the process of qualitative and quantitative examination, which involves preliminary color tests and confirmatory tests like chromatography and spectroscopy. It also discusses examining urine specimens to test for drug use, including validity tests to check for tampering through dilution, adulteration, or substitution.
This document discusses the examination of dangerous drugs, including how drugs are identified and tested. It describes the process of qualitative and quantitative examination, which involves preliminary color tests and confirmatory tests like chromatography and spectroscopy. It also discusses examining urine specimens to test for drug use, including validity tests to check for tampering through dilution, adulteration, or substitution.
This document discusses the examination of dangerous drugs, including how drugs are identified and tested. It describes the process of qualitative and quantitative examination, which involves preliminary color tests and confirmatory tests like chromatography and spectroscopy. It also discusses examining urine specimens to test for drug use, including validity tests to check for tampering through dilution, adulteration, or substitution.
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Chapter 7
Examination of Dangerous Drugs DRUG IDENTIFICATION -is a branch of forensic chemistry that deals with the scientific examination of drugs and volatile substances.
-usually conducted by a forensic chemist/
chemical officer to determine the presence of dangerous drug on submitted specimen. FORMS OF DANGEROUS DRUGS -Drugs are in various forms. This included:
•Tablets •Capsules •Liquid •Powder •Brick or decks of marijuana •Crushed leaves •Uprooted plants A. EXAMINATION OF THE SAMPLE TAKEN FROM THE ALLEGED CONFISCATED DANGEROUS DRUGS •Methods of Examination 1. Qualitative examination 2. Quantitative examination
•Steps common to Qualitative and Quantitative methods:
1. Selection of method to be used 2. Physical test 3.Sampling 4. Sample 5. Chemical test 6. Confirmatory examination • Two phases in the examination of the alleged confiscated Dangerous Drugs
1. Screening test/ Preliminary test(also known as the color test)
- it is employed to reduce the family or group of drug to a small manageable number. It includes a series of color test producing characteristics color for each family or group of drugs. This is done by adding specific reagent to unknown sample in a spot plate.
Color Reactions: Upon Addtion of specific regeants to a sample of dangerous drugs, a specific color reaction is produced such as: Cannabis: Duquenois-Levin= violet Fast blue B salt= purple red
Cocaine: Cobalt Thiocyanate test or Ct test= blue
Scott test or Modified CT test: Regeant 1= blue Regeant 2= pink Regeant 3= blue Wagner test= brown ( specific test for cocaine )
Diazepam: Zimmerman test= reddish purple or pink ( some
benzodiazepine derivative do not give color with this test). Hydrochloric acid = yellow Vitali- Morin test = yellow Opium: Marquis = violet Ferric Sulfate = Brownish purple Mecke= Blue to green Nitric acid = orange to red to yellow
Morphine: Marquis = violet to reddish purple
Codeine: Mecke = Blue to green Heroin: Mecke = Blue to green Nitric acid = yellow to green Dille - Koppanyi Test = reddish purple ( for barbiturates )
Methamphetamine Hydrochloride: Simon test = Blue Marquis test = Orange to Brown
Ectacy: Simon Test = Blue
Methaqualone and Phencyclidine: CT test = Blue
Lysergide or LSD: Ehrlich = Violet
Mescaline: Marquis test = Orannge
Lieberman = Black NOTE:
It must be noted that positive results of these tests
are not conclusive, as there are substances that may give same positive color reaction/s upon addition of the specific reagents. Hence, confirmatory tests must be performed by the forensic chemist/ chemical officer on case to establish the presence and identification of dangerous drug. 2. Confirmatory Test - is the method employed to confirm the results of the screening / Preliminary test. This test involves the application of an analytical procedure to identify the presence of a specific drug or metabolities.
There are several methods used in the confirmatory test. Some of these methods are:
Chromatography- is the process of separating mixture and
comparing the migration of each component with standard. Some chromatographic techniques include:
•Gas Chromatography •Thin layer chromatography •High-pressure Liquid chromatography What is a Gas Chromatography? - It is a separate technique - The mobile phase is a gas - Separation is based on the difference in migration rates among sample components.
Spectroscopy- a confirmatory method whereby light is used to
identify the sample specimen.
Fourier -Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)-used for
the identification of pure organic substances. Identifies organic substances particularly dangerous drugs and explosive ingredients based on their characteristic functional groups.
Ultraviolet-visible-spectroscopy- Used for screening of dangerous
drugs in urine specimen. Examination of the Urine Specimen -The rate of excretion from the body depends on the drug's solubility in fat. Water soluble drugs ( such as cocaine ) are excreted quickly, white Fat soluble drugs ( such as marijuana ) may take several weeks or months before excretion.
Drug test must be conducted to apprehended
individual/s who is/are suspected to be a user/s and to those who are charged with offense of "Illegal use of Dangerous drugs". •Validity Test for Urine Specimen -Validity test is conducted to determine the integrity of the samples.
•Reasons for Conducting Validity Tests
- In case of unobserved urine collection - When there is suspicion that the urine specimen has been tampered. • Instances when to allow unobserved Urine Specimen Collection - When donor is physically unable to go to the laboratory. - When donor is involved in a crime scene - When donor is involved in a post-accident trauma - When donor is critically ill. • Different Types of Tempered Urine Specimen
A. Adulterated - a specimen containing either a substance
that is not a normal constituent for that type of specimen or containing an endogenous substance at a concentration that is not a normal physiological concentration.
B. Diluted- refers to a specimen with less than normal
physiological constituents.
C. Substituted- a specimen which has been derived
through switching or replacement of the original sample. • Ways to Adulterate Urine Samples - Addition of salt - Addition of juice - Addition of detergent - Addition of bleach and other oxidizing adulterants. - Addition of ilicit drugs • Ways to substitute a Urine Sample - Urine from friends or other persons not using drugs may be used as substitute specimen. - Replace sample with other substance similar to usine in appearance. • Ways to Dilute a Urine Specimen A. Internal Dilution ( Intake of plenty of water before collection or drinking of herbal tea) B. External Dilution- ( Addition of water to previously collected urine). • Parameters for Validity Test
Initial Validity Test:
• Volume • Temperature - using thermometer • PH- calibrated with appropriate buffers • Specific gravity- used a refractometer • Nitrites • Creatinine • Oxidizing agents • Criteria in determining tempered Urine Specimen A. Adulterated * pH: < 3 or > 11 * Nitrite: > 500.00 ugIL * Presence of endogenous) exogenous substances ( e g oxidizing agents ) B. Diluted * Sp: Gravity: < 1.003 * Creatinine: < 1768.0 umol/ml C. Substituted * Sp. Gravity: < 1.063 or > 1. 020 * Creatinine : < 442.0 umol/L * pH: < 2 or > 9 • What do we consider a Urine Specimen as Invalid.
• A urine specimen is considered invalid under
the following circumstances:
- Adulterated, Substituted or diluted
- Improperly collected, handled and stored - Improperly documented THAT'S ALL THANK YOU FOR LISTENING
