Presumptive Drug Tests

Screening for drugs or

What could that white
powder be?
Presumptive Tests
Pros
Quick, inexpensive, on the scene
Can be used for elimination purposes
Cons
Cannot be used in court
Do not definitively identify a drug
Do not quantify amount

Controlled Substance Analysis
Unknown
Substance
Plant?
Confirmation
Tests
Micro Crystal
GC/MS
IR
Microscopic
Examination
Macroscopic
Examination
Screening Tests
Chemical Color
Micro Crystal
TLC
GC/FID
UV/Vis
Chemical Exam
Duquenois
TLC
GC/FID
GC/MS
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Marijuana
Cannabis sativa
Macroscopic Tests
Palmate leaf with
serrated edges
Fluted stems
Red thread in bud
Microscopic Tests
Bear claw shaped
hairs on top surface
of leaf
Small crystals at
base of leaf
http://www.dps.state.ia.us/DCI/Crime_Lab/Controlled_Substance/marij.shtml
Hashish
Resin from marijuana
that has been isolated
Cake is smoked
Oil is added to other
substances and
smoked
Contains concentrated
cannabinoids

http://www.dea.gov/photos/hash/hash2.jpg
Duquesnois-Levine Test

Test for presence of cannabinols, the active agent in
marijuana
Duquenois agent is 2% vanillin, 1% acetaldehyde in ethanol
Purple color denotes a positive test
http://www.dea.gov/photo_library4.html
Thin Layer Chromatography
Establishes the presence of specific
cannabinoids
Provides a color test
Positive if patterns match those of a known
reference run at the same time

http://www.dps.state.ia.us/DCI/Crime_Lab/Controlled_Substance/add_tests.shtml
Proving Its Pot
Three tests must be positive!
Microscopic botanical characteristics
present?
Positive Duquenois Levine Test?
Positive TLC?
Peyote
Macroscopic
Buttons 1 in diameter
5-10 orange like
segments
White tuft in each
segment
Chemical Test
Chromatography to
identify characteristic
pattern of alkaloids
Mescaline is active
ingredient

Magic Mushrooms
Psilocybe cubensis
Off white stems
with blue-gray
staining
Off white to tan
caps
Active ingredients
psilocin
psilocybin

Magic Mushrooms
Characteristic UV spectra
Separate Using TLC then use UV light
to image spots
Color Tests
Purple with pDMBA (Van Urks)
Red with fast blue B that then turns blue
when HCl is added
Magic Mushrooms
Possession of mushrooms is not illegal
Proof of presence of psilocin or psilocybin is
necessary to convict
Psilocybin is fragile and easily converts to
psilocin, so you have to prove the psilocin
was there initially

psilocybin
psilocin seratonin
(neurotransmitter)
Magic Mushrooms
Psilocybin will break down during gas
chromatography
Pre-react molecule to stabilize it
Use Mass Spectroscopy to identify the reaction product
Chemical extraction with methanol prior to IR can
break it down
Cant separate psilocin from psilocybin
Chemical Color Tests
Use reagents that produce specific colors
when reacting with certain classes of
compounds
Target the functional groups
Phenols
Aromatic rings
Primary, secondary and tertiary amines
Chemically adding an auxochrome to drug
molecule that shifts the optical absorption
into the visible
Chemical Color Tests
Detection limits of 1 to 50 g
Can be used as developers for TLC
plates
Chemical Color Tests
Need positive and negative controls to
ensure reagents are reliable
Colors are influenced by
Examiners subjectivity
Concentration
Diluents
Adulterants
Age of reagent
Length of time reaction is observed
Color Tests
Methamphetamine/
Marquis Reagent
2% formaldehyde in
Sulfuric acid
Methamphetamine/
Sodium Nitroprusside
Heroin/
Marquis Reagent
Heroin/
Mecke Reagent
http://www.dps.state.ia.us/DCI/Crime_Lab/Controlled_Substance/cct.shtml#photo8
Color Test Kits
Add suspected
substance to the
pouch.
Seal
Break ampoules in
order
Check for color
change
http://www.crime-scene.com/ecpi/A-800-60XX.shtml
http://shop.armorforensics.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code
=Redwop&Product_Code=7624&Category_Code=narcotest
Color Test Sequences
Mayers
Narcotics or
Amphetamines
White precip
Barbituates
No precip
Marquis
Dillye-
Koppanyi
Opiates
purple
Amphetamines
Orange to red to
brown
Demerol
brown
Mescaline
red
Ecstasy
black
Nitric Acid
Heroin
yellow
Morphine
Red to orange
to yellow
Barbituates
blue
Mandelins
Amphetamines
Olive green confirms
Methadone
Dark blue
http://www.bvda.com/EN/prdctinf/pf_en_np.html
16 different tests are
available
Microcrystal Tests
Sample is dissolved in
solution
Reagent is added
generating a precipitate
Precipitate has uniquely
shaped crystals
Must have a reference
standard using same
reagent
Potential problems
Impurities can distort
crystal shapes
High concentration leads
to small crystals
Reagent age effects

GHB date-rape drug
Crystals following addition
Of silver nitrate
http://www.lincoln.ac.uk/fabs/Research/Date%20rape%20research.htm
Microcrystalline Tests
http://www.dps.state.ia.us/DCI/Crime_Lab/images/blue42.jpg
Cocaine
Methamphetamine
Thin Layer Chromatography
The trick is getting the compounds out
of the solid sample and on the plate
Chemical Extractions
Physical extraction
Dry wash and dry extraction
Liquid/liquid extractions
Types of Drugs
Basic drugs have an acid (HCl, etc.) as
part of their salt form
Acidic drugs have a base (Na, K) as
part of their salt form
Neutral drugs dont have an
associated salt form
Solubility Guidelines
Acidic Drugs Basic Drugs Neutral Drugs
Acidic Water
Solutions
Insoluble Soluble Soluble
Basic Water
Solutions
Soluble Insoluble Soluble
Neutral Water
Solutions
Free acid is
Insoluble
Free base is
Insoluble
Soluble
Organics
Free acid is
Soluble
Free base is
Soluble
Soluble
Liquid/Liquid Extraction
Dissolve in acidic aqueous solution
Basic drugs dissolve
Add organic solvent and shake
Acid and neutral drugs go into organic
Remove organic solvent after separation
Make aqueous solution basic
Basic drugs become insoluble
Add second organic and agitate
Basic drugs dissolve in organic
Separate solvents
Use organic fraction for IR or GC/MS