Drug Analysis
Forensic Science/CSI
Foster
How would you figure out which
type of drug each of these are?
Tests
Drug Identification
Screening or presumptive
tests
Confirmatory
tests
Spot or color tests
Spectrophotometry
Microcrystalline test—
• Ultraviolet (UV)
a reagent is added, producing a
crystalline precipitate that is
unique for a certain drug
Chromatography
• 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.
Don’t write
Controlled Substances Act
Schedule 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, continued
Schedule 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 III
Examples: stimulants and depressants including Valium, Xanax,
Librium, phenobarbital, Darvon
Don’t write
Controlled Substances Act, continued
Schedule 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
Write This
“The higher on the
schedule the lower the risk
for addiction/danger”
Types of Drugs
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 pain
a. Ex: Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Codeine, Morphine,
Heroin
b. Designer drugs- designed for abuse and evasion of specific
drug laws
Testing for Drugs
1. Spot Tests- chemical reaction occurs causing a
color change
a. Must use further testing to confirm – spectroscopy
If it is a color
change why is it a
chemical change
and not a physical
change?
HINT:
Why does the color
change occur?
Testing for Drugs
2. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC)- separates
the components of the mixture
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
Testing for Drugs (cont.)
4. Presumptive (screening) Test- presumes the
presence of the questioned substance
a. Tests using color- for marijuana, LSD, amphetamines,
cocaine, heroin, barbiturates
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
Testing for Drugs (cont.)
5. Confirmatory tests- specifically identify
one substance (many different types)
a. Spectroscopy- study of radiation and it’s interaction
with matter
1) 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)
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 mass
Part 3- Measured and Reported