Sensors for the detection of illicit drugs

Document Type

Syllabus

Publication Date

8-28-2020

Abstract

Illicit drugs represent the most criminal cases that are examined by the forensic laboratories. They are of wide variety and they range from synthetic to naturally occurring and can have various types of psychoactive effects. Illicit drugs occur in a large variety of numbers since they can be either be extracted from plants as powder, tablets, capsules, liquid, or solids, or they can be easily grown or manufactured using sophisticated chemistry. Many conventional techniques have been developed for the detection of illicit drugs. Some of the common techniques are as follows: mass spectrometry (MS), ion mobility spectrometry (IMS), infrared spectrometry, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, spot/color test, immunoassay, and ultraviolet spectroscopy. These techniques are mainly used for the detection of illicit drugs but they are expensive and time consuming. For the rapid detection of these drugs, different types of sensors such as colorimetric sensors, fluorogenic sensors, and electrochemical sensors were developed. These probes provide several advantages over the conventional techniques, such as their rapid response and on-site detection, easy to use, chemical simplicity, and many others. In this chapter, the different types of drugs such as stimulated drugs, depressants, and hallucinogenic drugs and their psychoactive effects on human body are discussed. Apart from this, a brief discussion on the use of conventional techniques for their detection has also been done. The different types of sensors used in the detection of such illicit drugs have also been discussed in detail.

Identifier

85111910191 (Scopus)

ISBN

[9783527347629, 9783527827695]

Publication Title

Technology in Forensic Science Sampling Analysis Data and Regulations

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1002/9783527827688.ch11

First Page

221

Last Page

238

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