NCJ Number
164333
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 41 Issue: 3 Dated: (May 1996) Pages: 371-375
Date Published
1996
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This study outlines the preparation and testing of a reliable test material for the evaluation of cocaine and heroin detectors.
Abstract
The drug detection equipment for which the test material was designed includes a vacuum sampler to collect large amounts (5 to 25 mg) of extraneous materials such as sand and dust, which may contain small amounts (nanograms to micrograms) of cocaine or heroin. Sand was chosen as the bulk support in the test material because it is inert, cannot thermally desorb, and will not cause chemical interferences or chemically suppress the signal normally produced by the drug molecules. The test material is simple to prepare and use. It consists of a homogeneous sand/drug mixture that can be transferred reproducibly to a surface for subsequent sampling and analysis. The ratio of sand to drug can be easily varied, allowing for the testing of instruments with varying sensitivities to the drugs of interest. This article describes the experimental materials and methods. 2 figures, 2 tables, and 11 references