Further studies on spot tests and microcrystal tests for identification of cocaine.
The presence of cocaine in illicit drug samples is still being determined in some laboratories using spot tests and microcrystal tests. Seventeen chemical species were tested using three different spot tests (Wagner, Marquis, and cobalt thiocyanate followed by stannous chloride reactions) and two microcrystal tests (gold chloride and platinic chloride) to determine whether the results could be differentiated from the results of these tests on cocaine. The data obtained indicated that nine of the 17 compounds gave results similar to those from cocaine using the three spot tests, but that the results from microcrystal testing allowed for differentiation of all nine compounds from cocaine.
Swiatko
Jamie
J
Department of Sciences, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, The City University of New York, 445 West 59th Street, New York, NY 10019, USA.
De Forest
Peter R
PR
Zedeck
Morris S
MS
D003035:Cobalt; D003042:Cocaine / Q000032:analysis*; D004202:Disinfectants; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods; D005557:Formaldehyde; D017612:Gold Compounds; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D007455:Iodine; D017671:Platinum Compounds; D011193:Potassium Iodide; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods*; D013464:Sulfuric Acids; D013861:Thiocyanates; D017971:Tin Compounds
D004202:Disinfectants; D017612:Gold Compounds; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D017671:Platinum Compounds; D013464:Sulfuric Acids; D013861:Thiocyanates; D017971:Tin Compounds; C038016:gold chloride; C023599:stannous chloride; D011193:Potassium Iodide; D005557:Formaldehyde; C038956:cobalt thiocyanate; D003035:Cobalt; D007455:Iodine; D003042:Cocaine; C033158:sulfuric acid; C475866:platinic chloride