Colormetric Tests & Presumptive Identification

Schedule I

No accepted medical use, high potential for abuse.

• Examples: Heroin, LSD, marijuana (federally), ecstasy

Schedule II

High potential for abuse, with medical use under strict regulation.

• o Examples: Cocaine, methamphetamine, oxycodone, fentanyl, Adderall

Schedule III

Moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence.

• o Examples: Anabolic steroids, ketamine, codeine-containing products

Schedule IV

Low potential for abuse and dependence.

• o Examples: Diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax), lorazepam (Ativan)

Schedule V

Lowest potential for abuse, contains limited quantities of certain narcotics.

• o Examples: Cough preparations with less than 200 mg of codeine, lomotil (anti-diarrheal)

Adulterants

Around as long as substances, any chemical or substance that is added to another substance

• Commonly employed to alter the experience of the drug or bulk the material

Heroin Adulterants

Caffeine, quinine, and mannitol to make it appear purer or more potent

Cocaine Adulterants

Sodium bicarbonate or even boric acid

Fentanyl and Analogues

Substances Affected: Heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, counterfeit prescription pills

• Fentanyl is often added to heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine because it is cheap and potent

  • It can also be pressed into counterfeit prescription pills, often sold as oxycodone or Xanax

• Risks: Even small amounts can lead to fatal overdose

  • Because fentanyl is not easily detectable by users, it has been a major driver of the opioid overdose crisis

  • Many users unknowingly consume a lethal dose, as fentanyl is often mixed in a manner that’s hard to detect

Caffeine

Substances Affected: Heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, methamphetamine

• Caffeine is commonly used as an adulterant in various drugs, especially heroin and cocaine, to increase stimulant effects

  • It is also found in some synthetic drugs like MDMA (ecstasy) and methamphetamine

• Risks: While caffeine is generally safe in moderate amounts, its presence in illicit drugs can lead to overstimulation, anxiety, heart palpitations, and overdose, especially when combined with other stimulants

Quinine

Substances Affected: Heroin, cocaine, ecstasy

• Quinine is a bitter, toxic substance derived from the bark of the cinchona tree, historically used to treat malaria

• In the illicit drug trade, it is commonly used as a cutting agent for heroin and cocaine, both to bulk up the drug and to give it a bitter taste, mimicking the effects of cocaine

• Risks: Quinine is known to cause a variety of health issues, including renal failure, cardiac arrhythmias, severe nausea, and death

  • It poses significant risks if ingested in large amounts

Talc

Substances Affected: Heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine

• Talc is a powdered mineral that is often used as a filler in illicit drugs, particularly heroin and cocaine, because it is inexpensive and readily available

  • It can give drugs a smooth texture and mimic the appearance of pure substances

• Risks: Talc can cause serious health issues, including lung damage if inhaled, and it can be especially harmful when injected intravenously, leading to granulomas and vascular occlusion

Mannitol

Substances Affected: Heroin, ecstasy, cocaine

• Mannitol is a sugar alcohol commonly used as a sweetener, and it is often used to "cut" or adulterate illicit drugs, particularly heroin and ecstasy

  • It is added to increase weight and profit margins

• Risks: While mannitol itself isn’t highly toxic, it can cause issues like gastrointestinal distress, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalances if consumed in large quantities

  • When injected, it can lead to vascular damage and blockages

Lactose and Sugar

Substances Affected: Heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine

• Lactose and other simple sugars are often used as fillers in illicit drugs to increase their bulk

  • Lactose is commonly found as an adulterant in heroin and methamphetamine

• Risks: While these substances are generally not harmful in small amounts, when injected, they can cause blockages in veins or arteries, leading to potentially fatal consequences

Phenacetin

Substances Affected: Heroin, cocaine

• Phenacetin, an analgesic once used in over-the-counter pain relievers but banned due to its links to cancer and kidney damage, has been found as an adulterant in heroin and cocaine

• Risks: Phenacetin is highly toxic, causing kidney damage, urinary tract issues, and an increased risk of cancer due to its metabolization into potentially carcinogenic compounds

Levamisole

Substances Affected: Cocaine

• Levamisole is an anti-parasitic drug that has been used as an adulterant in cocaine

  • It is sometimes added to cocaine to increase its bulk and mimic the stimulating effects of the drug

• Risks: Levamisole is associated with serious side effects, including immune suppression, which increases the risk of infections

Xylazine

Substances Affected: Heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, benzodiazepines

• Xylazine is a veterinary tranquilizer primarily used as a sedative and analgesic in animals, particularly for horses and cattle

  • It is not approved for human use but has increasingly been found as an adulterant in illicit opioids, especially heroin and fentanyl, and even cocaine and methamphetamine in certain regions

• Why It's Used: Xylazine is sometimes added to street drugs for its sedative and muscle-relaxant properties, as well as to enhance the effects of other substances like fentanyl

Wavelength & Frequency

• Wavelength is the distance between 2 consecutive wave crests or troughs

• Frequency is the number of wave cycles that pass a point per second

Presumptive Testing

Narrow down what analytes we are looking for

• Most common tests

⚬ Thin Layer Chromatography

⚬ Color tests

⚬ Microscopy

⚬ Pharmaceutical Identifiers

Uncertainty

Error in the data

• The level of uncertainty you have when presenting data

• Important in forensics because no testing is perfect, and you need to illustrate that in court

• Each measurement used increases the uncertainty of your final conclusion

• Includes standard deviation and instrument sensitivity

Types of Error

Gross

⚬ Systematic error have to throw out the data there is no way to account for it

⚬ Doing an acidic instead of basic extraction

Random

⚬ Always present cannot avoid

Systematic

⚬ Intentional error in the procedure Incorrect pipetting

⚬ Can be limited by lab standards and proficiency testing or by multiple people conducting the same analysis

Standard Error

The standard deviation of a sample of means rather than a sample of observations

• Originates from repeated measurements

The means of samples from normally distributed population are themselves normally distributed regardless of sample size

• 100 drug baggies vs 10,000 drug baggies

As sample size increases, the means of samples of any distribution will approach the normal distribution