Forensic Drug Analysis

1
Forensic Drug Analysis

• 60 of all cases in the lab are drug related
• 85-90 of all cases involve drugs

2
Addiction

• Physical vs. Psychological addiction
• Physical
• causes withdrawl symptoms
• Alcohol, Narcotics, Depressants
• Psychological addiction
• Dopamine release
• Cocaine, PCP

3
Classification of Drugs

• Opiates/Narcotics
• Reduce sensation sleep like state
• morphine, heroin, codeine, fentanyl
• Both physically and psychologically addictive
• Stimulants
• Stimulate sympathetic nervous system
• high energy, euphoria
• amphetamines, cocaine, nicotine
• Psychologically addictive

4
Classification of Drugs

• Hallucinogens
• Alters perceptions, illusions
• LSD (acid), PCP(angel dust), MDMA (Ecstacy),
  Mescaline (peyote cactus), Marijuana (THC),
  hallucinagenic mushrooms (psilocybin)
• Most neither physical or psychological dependence
• Depressants
• Depress CNS, drowsiness, slowed response
• Barbiturates(Phenobarbital), Ethanol
• Benzodiazepines (tricyclic anitdepressants)
  Valium(diazepam), Xanax(alprazolam)
• Physically and psychologically addictive

5
Controlled Substances

• Schedules
• I No approved medical use
• LSD, Heroin, Psilocyn, Psilocybin, Marijuana,
• MDMA, Mescaline, Methaqualone
• II Medical use, severly addictive
• Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Codeine, Morphine
• Hydrocodone, Hydromorphone, Methylphenidate
• Meperidine, PCP, Phenmetrazine, Oxycodone,
• Oxymorphone, Butyl nitrite, Amobarbital,
• Secobarbital, Pentobarbital
• III Medical use, somewhat addictive
• Morphine Codeine in mixture, Opium,
  Pentobarbital (Mix)
• Steroids anabolic (1991)

6
Controlled Substances II

• IV Medical use, low addictive potential
• Benzodiazepines
• Ephedrine
• Codeine cough syrup
• Phenobarbital
• V OTC
• Mixtures of analgesics and opiates
• Propylhexedrine (decongestant)

7
Analysis Sequence

• Observations
• Rock like, powdered, wet
• Screening Test
• Used to categorize specimens to determine type of
  substance present and to determine the best
  procedure to use for confirmation, color tests,
  microcrystalline tests

8
Confirmation

• Chromatography (mixtures)
• Thin Layer
• Gas chromatography Mass spectrometry
• Liquid chromatography Mass spectrometry
• Infrared Spectroscopy (pure)
• Infrared light

9
Identification of Marijuana

• Green Plant Material
• Dry Package in Paper
• Microscopic Examination
• Look for Bear Claw cystolythic hair on top
  surface of leaf
• Duquenois-Levine Color test (Screening)
• 2 vanillin, 1 acetaldehyde in Ethanol
• Hydrochloric acid purple color
• Chloroform heaver than water forms lower layer
  Will pull purple color into lower layer
• Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC)
• Results THC red color on plate
• Marijuana is a mixture of compounds

10
Powders / Color Tests

• Marquis Test 2 formaldehyde in H2SO4
• Purple
• Opiates
• Orange to brown
• Amphetamine Meth
• Blue
• Ecstasy
• Red
• Aspirin
• Pink
• cocaine

11
Microcrystalline test

• Chemical reagent is added which causes crystals
  to form
• Crystals have different shape depending upon what
  drug

Cocaine
Methamphetamine
12
Drug Testing in the Body

• Urine testing is most common
• Immunoassay (presumptive)
• Based on antigen-antibody binding specificity
• Antibody produced by injecting antigen (drug)
  into rabbit
• Antibodies will bind to drug in urine
• Confirmation by HPLC or GC/MS

13
False positives in Immunoassays

• Poppy seeds and Vicks 44 for opiates
• Decongestants for amphetamines
• Benadryl and dextromethorphan for PCP