Forensic drug analysis deals with the identification and quantification of illegal drugs. Forensic drug tests are generally carried out in two step Screening and confirmation.1-3 Once
drugs are detected through screening, for example spot test kits (e.g., immunoassays, Marquis test, etc), samples are then collected and sent to laboratories for confirmation tests. Confirmation requires high sensitivity and selectivity toward drugs, as well as their metabolites, and is frequently carried out by GC/MS. Gas
chromatography (GC) is based on the separation of volatile samples by their unique affinity for the column. Target drug compounds in the sample are identified by their retention times when samples are passed through chromatographic columns. GC coupled with
mass spectrometry (MS) is a powerful technique because structures of unknown compounds can be identified after they have been separated by GC. Other analytical instruments, such as HPLC, FTIR, and UV/Vis are found in forensic laboratories as complementary techniques
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