Drug Analysis

For this part of forensics we analyzed different types of drugs along with looking up things that would indicate its presence.  For the experiment we tested two simulated drugs: LSD and cocaine. We tested these two drugs by mixing a small amount of the drug with some water and then placing a drop of it into a Petri dish. Afterwards we tested the drops with pH paper and the LSD and cocaine reagents.

Research:

Cocaine:

1. Chemical Name: Benzoylmethylacgoine
2. Chemical Formula: C₁₇H₂₁NO₄
3. pH: 4.5
4. Biochemical Tests: With cocaine you can find it in the bloodstream and the urine for five days after someone has taken the drug. Cocaine can also be found in hair for a period up to 90 days which can make it easily detected for three months after someone has ingested the drug. Though if all the hairs that can be used have fallen then the time period for testing cocaine in hair is limited.

LSD

1. Chemical Name: Lysergic acid diethylamide
2. Chemical Formula: C₂₀H₂₅N₃O
3.  pH: 4
4.  Biochemical tests: Urine testing can be used to find LSD Due to it staying in the urine for 24 hours, while it can stay in the blood stream for as long as 4 days.  LSD is unstable and fragile in the heat and light so it must be stored in cool temperatures and dark conditions in order for it to be detected by drug screening procedures.

 Experiment results:

Drug	pH	Cocaine Reagent	LSD Reagent
1	Orange/Yellow   pH6	green negative	red negative
2	Blue pH10	blue positive	pink negative
3	Orange   pH3	yellow negative	yellow positive
4	Green/Yellow pH7	blue positive	red negative
5	Yellow pH7	green negative	red negative
6	Orange pH3	yellow negative	yellow positive