Open AccessSTUDY OF SCOTT TEST USING SPECTROSCOPIC TECHNIQUES: AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD FOR DETECTING COCAINE HYDROCHLORIDE AND ITS ADDULTERANTS IN STREET DRUGS
Author(s) -
Vitor N. Conceição,
Lindamara M. Souza,
Bianca B. Merlo,
Paulo R. Filgueiras,
Ronei J. Poppi,
Wanderson Romão
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
química nova
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.214
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1678-7064
pISSN - 0100-4042
DOI - 10.5935/0100-4042.20140240
Subject(s) - hydrochloride , test (biology) , psychology , chromatography , chemistry , geology , organic chemistry , paleontology
Cocaine is usually seized mixed with a wide variety of adulterants such as benzocaine, lidocaine, caffeine, and procaine. The forensic identification of cocaine in these street drug mixtures is normally performed using colorimetric testing kits, but these tests may suffer from interferences, producing false-positive results. Here, we describe the use of analytical techniques including attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATRFTIR) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) spectroscopies to distinguish between cocaine and other adulterants (lidocaine, promethazine, powdered milk and yeast) that yield positive results on the Scott test using the thiocyanate cobalt reagent. A further 13 substances were also analyzed using the Scott test