Colorimetric-Electrochemical Combined Method for the Identification of Drugs of Abuse in Blotter Papers: A Powerful Screening Technique Using Three Analytical Responses.
ACS omega April 29, 2025 Cláudia Mancilha Rocha, Larissa Magalhães de Almeida Melo, Augusto César Carvalho Santos et al. 5 citations
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.