Quiz 5
Quiz 5
Quiz 5
QUIZ #5
Forensic drug testing is a broad term that can refer to the physical testing of a substance or the testing of
an individual to find out if a substance is present within an individual. The results of these tests are
achieved by using forensic chemistry. Forensic drug testing can also be called forensic toxicology. This
type of testing analyses a sample from a person to identify whether that person has drugs in their
system. Forensic drug testing is used for things such as hiring in the workplace or criminal convictions. It
can also be used to test the level of a drug in someone's system to determine if that level is harmful or
beneficial to the person who uses it.
Forensic drug chemists analyze samples of unknown materials including powders, liquids and stains to
determine the chemical identity or characteristics of the compounds that make up the sample. Samples
submitted as evidence in a drug-related case can contain one compound or a mixture of many
compounds.
Forensic drug chemists are specialists who conducts chemical analyses of evidence confiscated during
criminal investigation which involves dangerous drugs and clandestine lab.
A qualitative test tells you if a particular substance (analyte) is present in the specimen. A quantitative
test tells you how much (the quantity) of an analyte is present. After the presence of an analyte has been
established (which may involve a second, confirmatory test), the amount of the analyte present in the
sample then may be measured.
Presumptive testing - is usually colorimetric, meaning the test will indicate that the suspected substance
is present or not present by changing color. If the substance is present, the test kit will turn one color, if
not, it turns a different color. Presumptive testing by law enforcement is typically followed up with
laboratory tests that confirm with certainty the presence of the suspected substance. Presumptive
testing is also performed in the laboratory as part of the analysis process.
Confirmatory testing - uses instrumental analysis to positively identify the contents of submitted
material. This typically requires a multi-step process to separate the individual compounds, determine
the chemical characteristics of the compounds, and compare them against reference materials to make a
positive identification. This is called qualitative analysis, and determines what substances are present
and if one of more of those substances is illegal.
There are three steps in forensic drug testing: collection, preservation, and analysis. Some sources of
forensic drug testing research identify an additional step, which is screening. Screening is when the drugs
are first detected through a test. After the test is taken and it is confirmed that the substance is a drug,
the next step in the process begins. The collection is what occurs when the scientists that are testing the
drug get portions or samples of the drug to test as well. After collection, preservation of the drugs is
completed. This is when the test sample is preserved for testing in the future. The last step is the
analysis. This is the process when the drug is being analyzed for its toxicology.
The primary test for methamphetamine is the Marquis test. If methamphetamine is present, it goes from
orange/red to brown with time.
The second step is to use the Liebermann test, which yields an orange color. Unlike Marquis, the color
change with this test generally doesn’t go to brown.
Finally, to differentiate amphetamine from methamphetamine, use the Simon’s test. Simon’s turns blue
with methamphetamine and doesn’t change color with amphetamine.
Urine is the most commonly used specimen for drug testing because of ease of collection. Other
advantages to using urine for drug testing are the relatively high concentrations of many drugs and
metabolites in urine, as well as the extended drug detection window of urine versus blood. However,
there are some important limitations to using urine for drug testing. The concentrations of drugs in urine
cannot be used to determine degree of toxicity or dose taken. Additionally, urine specimens are easily
tampered with.