title: Non-invasive detection of cocaine dissolved in beverages using displaced Raman spectroscopy.
abstract: We demonstrate the potential of Raman spectroscopy to detect cocaine concealed inside transparent glass bottles containing alcoholic beverages. A clear Raman signature of cocaine with good signal-to-noise was obtained from a approximately 300 g solution of adulterated cocaine (purity 75%) in a 0.7 L authentic brown bottle of rum with 1 s acquisition time. The detection limit was estimated to be of the order of 9 g of pure cocaine per 0.7 L (approximately 0.04 moles L(-1)) with 1 s acquisition time. The technique holds great promise for the fast, non-invasive, detection of concealed illicit compounds inside beverages using portable Raman instruments, thus permitting drug trafficking to be combated more effectively.
authors.affiliation: Central Laser Facility, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eliasson
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Macleod
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Matousek
mesh_terms: D000434:Alcoholic Beverages / Q000032:analysis*; D003042:Cocaine / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000379:methods*; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs; D000431:Ethanol; D003042:Cocaine