Basic Drug Analysis

Question 1

Qualitative Analysis (1)

Answer 1

The identity of a substance may be found. Can be of elements, molecules, mixtures or objects.

May be done by comparison to tables of data, to standards of known composition, physical characteristics or by interpretation of analysis results.

Question 2

Quantitative Analysis (1)

Answer 2

The concentration of a substance may be found. The effect often will relate to concentration.

This will use a range of units, separated into mass/mass, mass/volume and percentage.

Question 3

Quantitative Analysis (2)

Answer 3

Concentration can have different uses in an investigation.

E.g. blood alcohol concentration above the legal limit can result in a conviction for drink driving.

Concentrations may help establish cause of death.

Question 4

Stages in Chemical Analysis

Answer 4

Initial examination
Presumptive tests
Selective tests
Confirmation/Quantification
Reporting the Results

Question 5

Initial Examination

Answer 5

This is looking at the characteristics, morphology, packaging and paraphernalia.

Does the evidence label description what you can see? Is the package in tact and appropriate?

Question 6

Weight

Answer 6

The offence may depend on the weight of the drug found, and impacts whether destructive preliminary analysis can be conducted or not.

Trace samples - less than 0.1 gram.
Bulk samples - more than 0.1 gram.

Question 7

Presumptive Testing (1)

Answer 7

Designed to quickly and easily screen samples, to indicate the possible presence of specific chemical compounds.

They rely on rapid chemical reactions to provide colour change.

Question 8

Presumptive Testing (2)

Answer 8

These tend to be destructive, meaning that when only small amounts are present, other tests will take priority.

Unfortunately most results are for a class of material, not specifics. A systematic approach must be taken with presumptive testing.

Question 9

Presumptive Test Advantages

Answer 9

Low cost
Allow rapid screening of large numbers of samples
Simple to perform, little training
Field use friendly

Question 10

Presumptive Test Disadvantage

Answer 10

Colours may be subjective
Not specific, false positives occur
Interference from impurities
Not sensitive enough for trace samples
Destructive
Reagents are often harmful

Question 11

Confirmation/Quantification

Answer 11

These are aided by results from the presumptive tests. They will typically use instrumental analysis to positively identify the substance.

Multi step process:
Separation of the individual compounds, then the identification of the separated compounds.

Question 12

Forensic Science Involvement

Answer 12

FS is mainly involved in suspected drink-driving and alcohol-related death cases.

The courts need to know the level of alcohol in the body at the time of the incident, so knowledge of the following is important:
Absorption
Distribution
Metabolism
Elimination from the body
Legislation and technical defences

Question 13

Alcohol - Central Nervous System

Answer 13

Alcohol depresses the central nervous system, affecting:
Higher brain functions (emotions),
Lower brain functions (breathing),
Motor functions (co-ordination).

Intoxication effect correlates to the blood-alcohol level.

Question 14

Alcohol - Physiological Effects

Answer 14

20mg/100ml - some loss of judgement, begin to relax.

50mg/100ml - exaggerated behaviour, loss of small-muscle control, impaired judgement and lowered alertness.

Question 15

Hip Flask Defence

Answer 15

You are thought to be in control of a vehicle while over the prescribed alcohol limit, however the alcohol was consumed after you stopped driving.

Question 16

Absorption

Answer 16

Alcohol is absorbed by diffusion across the gut wall/gastrointestinal membrane.

20% happens in the stomach, the other 80% occurs in the small intestine.

Rate of absorption is affected by:
Presence/absence of food
Type of food
Still/carbonated beverage
Alcoholic strength of beverage

Question 17

Distribution

Answer 17

For most people, blood circulates through the body in 90 seconds.

Absorbed alcohol is quickly and evenly distributed throughout the body.

Question 18

Metabolism and Elimination

Answer 18

90-98% of absorbed alcohol is metabolised, mostly by oxidative decomposition.

The rate of metabolism varies from 10 to 25 mg/100mL per hour.

The remaining 2-10% is excreted unchanged via the lungs, kidneys and skin - hence why breath and urine tests are possible.

Question 19

Road Traffic Act 1988

Answer 19

Section 4 - driving or being in charge when under influence of drink or drugs.

Section 5 - driving or being in charge of a motor vehicle with alcohol concentration above prescribed limit.

Section 5A - driving or being in charge of a motor vehicle with concentration of specified control drug above specified limit.

Section - the power to administer preliminary tests.

Question 20

Preliminary Breath Tests

Answer 20

Acid Dichromate devices were based on chemical oxidation, where extent of colour change is related to alcohol level.

They are non-reusable and have a short shelf life, but are very cheap.

Question 21

Fuel Cell Breathalysers

Answer 21

These are the majority of hand-held devices used by law enforcement officers.

Question 22

Fuel Cell Breathalysers - Advantages

Answer 22

Sensor is highly specific and sensitive to alcohol
The measurements cannot be influenced by endogenous substances such as acetone, Carbon Monoxide or Toluene
Have long life

Question 23

Fuel Cell Breathalysers - Disadvantages

Answer 23

Cannot detect if a breath sample was alveolar (deep lung air)
May produce a falsely high reading if a subject has recently drank and still has alcohol in their mouth

Question 24

Infrared Optical Sensor Breathalysers - Advantages

Answer 24

Ensures that the breath sample is alveolar
Provides pinpoint accuracy
Can detect the presence of mouth alcohol
Does not have a limited life expectancy and will remain stable for many years

Question 25

Infrared Optical Sensor Breathalysers - Disadvantages

Answer 25

Breath testing machines that adopt IR technology are larger in size and not suitable for portable hand-held operation
Require calibration but this is automated

Question 26

Preliminary Impairment Tests

Answer 26

Pupillary Examination
Modified Romberg Balance test
Walk and Turn test
One leg stand
Finger to nose test

Question 27

Modified Romberg Balance Test

Answer 27

Officer instructs the subject to:
Stand up straight with heels and toes together with arms by their side.
Tilt their head back slightly.
Close their eyes, and estimate 30 seconds.
After 30 seconds they should tilt their head forward, open their eyes and say “stop”.

Question 28

Walk and Turn test

Answer 28

The officer instructs the subject to:
Put arms down by the side and keep them there throughout the test.
Take 9 heel-to-toe steps along a line.
Leave the front foot on the line and turn around using a series of small steps with the other foot.
Take another 9 heel-to-toe steps along the line.

Question 29

One leg stand test

Answer 29

The officer instructs the subject to:
Stand with their heels and toes together with arms by their sides.
Raise their right foot 6-8 inches off the ground.
Keep the elevated leg straight with toes pointing forward, foot parallel with the ground.
Keep looking at the elevated foot, and count aloud “one thousand and one, one thousand and two…”

Question 30

Finger to Nose test

Answer 30

The officer instructs the subject to:
Stand with feet together
Extend both arms out front, palm upwards, with the index finger extended.
Tilt their head slightly and close eyes.
When told, touch the tip of the nose with the tip of the index finger of whatever hand instructed.

Question 31

ABV vs Proof

Answer 31

Standard spirits are often 35-40% Alcohol by Volume (ABV), meaning they contain 35-40% pure alcohol.

Proof is based on tests once conducted using gunpowder, 120 degrees = 60%