This resource presents the development of a portable dual-method testing platform that could allow law enforcement officers to rapidly analyze seized drugs and generate on site court-admissible evidence.
An NIJ-supported research team from Illinois State University developed a portable dual-method testing platform that could allow law enforcement officers to rapidly analyze seized drugs and generate court-admissible evidence on site. The platform consists of a Raman spectroscopy module combined with a commercially available mass spectrometry device. Both detection methods are highly selective, require little to no sample preparation, and are easy to administer. In a blind test of 500 samples, a prototype of the platform produced 99.8% accurate results. The Illinois State researchers say the dual-method platform could help reduce forensic laboratory backlogs and are investigating commercialization opportunities.