title: Chemical composition and structure of the microcrystals formed between silver(I) and gamma-hydroxybutyric acid and gamma-hydroxyvaleric acid.
abstract: This study examined microcrystals formed by silver with gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) and gamma-hydroxyvaleric acid (GHV), the five-carbon analog of GHB, in the presence of silver, copper, and lanthanide nitrates. Distinct microcrystals formed with silver (+1) and lanthanum (+3) ions but not with the copper (+2) ions. The crystals formed with GHB were distinctly different than those formed with GHV and in all cases, the drug microcrystals were easily distinguishable from reagent crystals. X-ray diffraction analysis provided definitive structure for the microcrystals. The morphological differences between the silver-GHB and silver-GHV crystals were characterized using simple measurements such as size and angles provided by image recognition software. The utility of the test for casework was demonstrated using spiked beverage samples.
authors.affiliation: Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall Morgantown, WV 26506-6045, USA. Suzanne.Bell@mail.wvu.edu
authors.forename: Suzanne C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: Lucy S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Oldfield
authors.forename: Diaa M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Shakleya
authors.forename: Jeffrey L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Jennifer W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Mercer