Glasgow Caledonian University
SEBE PhD Research Project Portfolio
Project Reference Number
SEBE_DSS_SS_2
School/Institute/Research Group
Engineering and Built Environment / Institute for Sustainable Engineering and
Technology Research / Diagnostics Systems and Sensors Research Group
Research Discipline
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Raman Spectroscopy,
Pharmaceuticals,
Drug Identification.
Project Title
Identification of drugs of abuse by Raman Spectroscopy
Research Project Summary
Raman spectroscopy is becoming widely used for the rapid non-destructive
identification of drugs within pharmaceutical and forensic applications.
Identifying drugs relies on matching the spectrum of an unknown with a
database of known substances. Raman spectroscopy facilitates chemically
selective non-destructive analysis and can be used to discriminate between
different molecular conformations and for component distribution analysis.
When used in conjunction with a microscope the distribution of active
pharmaceutical ingredients within tablets can be studied and for the
identification of drugs on forensic evidence.
In the forensic setting Raman spectroscopy offers several advantages over FTIR spectroscopy in that little sample preparation is required, portable Raman
spectrometers are available for the in-situ identification of drugs and the
sample spectral information can be obtained through plastic containers.
One of the many problems facing forensic investigators and police forces
today is that the chemical composition of legal highs is continuously being
subtly changed in order to evade breaking current drug laws. This project
aims to identify spectral patterns within the Raman spectrum which are
prevalent in legal highs and hence build a database of drug types and from the
statistical evaluation of the spectra aid with the rapid identification of new
and emerging substances of abuse. LCMS will be used as a confirmatory
method of drug identification.
The project will also evaluate Raman microscopy for the identification of drugs
within different types of forensic evidence such as clothing, in fingerprints and
on bank notes.
Supervisory Team
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Director of Studies: Dr A.Sheila Smith, MEEE, Diagnostic Systems and
Sensors Group, Institute for Sustainable Engineering and Technology
Research, EBE
2nd Supervisor: Dr Mahesh Uttamlal, MEEE, Diagnostic Systems and
Sensors Group, Institute for Sustainable Engineering and Technology
Research, EBE
3rd Supervisor (joint): Dr Ray Ansell, MEEE, Diagnostic Systems and
Sensors Group, Institute for Sustainable Engineering and Technology
Research, EBE and Dr Moyra McNaughtan, MEEE, Diagnostic Systems
and Sensors Group, Institute for Sustainable Engineering and
Technology Research
Staff Contact
Dr A Sheila Smith
a.s.smith@gcu.ac.uk
Tel: 0141 331 3552