تسجيل الدخول

تسجيل

Analysis of heroin

المؤلف:  Sue Jickells , Adam Negrusz (Editors)

المصدر:  Clarkes Analytical Forensic Toxicology

الجزء والصفحة:  74

2026-09-20

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Analysis of heroin

Colour test Marquis reagent gives a purple–violet colour. Other opiate alkaloids (morphine, codeine, monoacetylmorphine and acetyl codeine) give the same positive reaction to the Marquis test and the same colour.

Quantification and profiling of heroin Heroin may be quantified by either GC or HPLC. One problem associated with GC analysis is that diamorphine may hydrolyse to 6-O-monoacetyl morphine, and another is the trans acetylation of the common cutting agent paracetamol (acetaminophen) by diamorphine in the injection port of the GC column. The use of fresh samples and of chloroform as the solvent can avoid these problems. By examining the amount of diamorphine, papaverine, noscapine and acetyl codeine in the samples it is possible to discriminate between samples and also to show a link between samples (Seta et al. 1994; Besacier and Chaudron-Thozet 1999; Stromberg et al. 2000). It may further be possible to examine heroin samples and show potential links between samples by the presence (and amount) of adulterants, such as caffeine, or by the presence of less common adulterants, such as diazepam or phenobarbital. In large seizures, differences may be found between various samples from the seizure, which indicates that the seizure comprises more than one batch of heroin. In addition to examining the relative ratios of the main components, it is possible to analyse for solvent residues by headspace GC (Cole 1998; Dams et al. 2001).