Introduction
The term “forensic” drug refers mainly to chemical or plant-derived substances that affect psychological, behavioral, or physical functions, and lead to varying degrees of dependence or addiction. Confiscated drugs have to be tested for their identity in a cost-efficient way in police labs worldwide. To check for identity by HPTLC, micro-chemical reactions (derivatizations) can be performed on the plate after development, evaluated within a short time, and at low costs. Further confirmation can be achieved by comparing UV and mass spectra of samples and references.
Scope
This method is suitable for screening of the most relevant forensic drugs. All substances are detectable by scanning densitometry with the TLC Scanner 4. A confirmation can be achieved by recorded UV spectra, mass spectra and/or derivatization of the substances. For mass detection, target zones are directly eluted from the HPTLC plate into the Waters ACQUITY QDa® using the CAMAG TLC-MS Interface 2. A fast screening method is shown below.
>> Download the full Application Note as PDF
Newsletters
Receive the latest pathologist news, personalities, education, and career development – weekly to your inbox.
