The use of Micro-Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy for the rapid identification of street drugs: Determination of interference by common diluents

The technique of Micro-FTIR in conjunction with microcrystal tests has previously been suggested as a rapid means of street drug identification and has been used to identify cocaine, heroin, phencyclidine and amphetamines unequivocally. A further analysis for commonly encountered drug diluents and adulterants has shown that little or no interference is contributed by these excipient substances at greater than 20% drug concentrations, but with high concentrations of sugar present a crude extraction of the drug is required. This technique has been successfully evaluated on case samples.