USE OF CHEMICAL SPOT TESTS KITS FOR THE PRESUMPTIVE IDENTIFICATION OF NARCOTICS AND DRUGS OF ABUSE

• NCJ Number: 16727
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 19 Issue: 3 Dated: (JULY 1974) Pages: 636-656
• Author(s): R A VELAPOLDI; S A WICKS
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 21 pages
• Corporate Author: American Soc for Testing and Materials
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

A COMPARISON OF CHEMICAL SPOT TEST KIT REAGENT EFFECTIVENESS.

Abstract

NUMBERS FROM THE CENTROID COLOR CHART HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO THE COLORS PRODUCED BY REACTIONS OF SELECTED PURE AND STREET DRUG SAMPLES WITH TYPICAL NARCOTIC IDENTIFICATION KIT REAGENTS, RESULTING IN DECREASED AMBIGUITY IN COLOR INTERPRETATION. ADDITIONAL SELECTIVITY WAS OBTAINED BY A MULTIPLE REAGENT TESTING SCHEME. EXPERIMENTAL DETECTION LIMITS WERE OBTAINED FOR SELECTED DRUGS BY A RIGOROUS, STATISTICALLY MEANINGFUL METHOD, AND REAGENT STABILITIES AND TEMPERATURE EFFECTS ON THE COLORS PRODUCED AND QUALITATIVE REACTION RATES WERE DISCUSSED. THE AUTHORS EMPHASIZE THAT THE KITS THAT WERE TESTED ARE USEFUL IN OBTAINING PRELIMINARY AND PRESUMPTIVE EVIDENCE ONLY AND SHOULD NOT BE USED AS SOLE EVIDENCE FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF A NARCOTIC OR DRUG OF ABUSE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)