About Us
The purpose of the Seized Drugs Section is to analyze and identify any suspected controlled substances and precursor chemicals utilized to manufacture controlled substances that are submitted to the Laboratory from city, county, state, and federal police agencies.
Most evidence is analyzed in a two-step process. First, the substance is subjected to a series of preliminary tests. These tests give an indication of what the substance might be and suggest a path for further analysis. The second step is to confirm the identification of the substance. Confirmation can be performed with different instruments, such as Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer and the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer.
Identification of suspected marijuana relies upon a series of tests, not just one specific test; however, these tests, when used in combination, are considered a specific analysis. If a positive result is obtained for all preliminary tests, the sample will undergo a semi-quantitative analysis to determine if the sample can then be classified as marijuana, or if it is an inconclusive result.
Additionally, the Seized Drugs Section performs quantitation analysis of methamphetamine using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. This service is currently only applicable to Federal cases with appropriate documentation.
Educational Requirements
Baccalaureate or an advanced degree in a chemical, physical, or biological science or forensic science with 32 hours of chemistry course work to include Instrumental Analysis.
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