A new electrochemical screening method using a multi-wall carbon nanotube screen-printed electrode combined with square wave voltammetry can detect LSD in forensic samples quickly and reliably. The method shows high stability, with less than 5% variation in measurements, a linear detection range from 0.16 to 40.0 μmol L-1, and a low detection limit of 0.05 μmol L-1. Tests with twenty-three other substances, including phenethylamines and other illicit drugs, demonstrate strong selectivity for LSD. This approach provides a sensitive, reproducible, and straightforward tool for preliminary identification of LSD in seized samples.
A new screening method combining a color change and an electrochemical signal can identify LSD and related drugs (NBOHs, NBOMes, 2Cs) on blotter papers. The method uses Emerson's reagent to produce a color change and a voltammetric measurement on a graphite electrode to detect the drugs. It provides three distinct responses for NBOHs, allowing unambiguous identification, and can distinguish between different drug types. The technique is stable (less than 2.3% variability), sensitive (detection limit of 0.3 μg per mL), and works across a wide concentration range (10 to 1000 μg per mL). When tested on 33 real seized samples, the results matched those from standard confirmatory methods, offering a simple and fast tool for forensic screening.