ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 1 April 1981
Page Count: 10

Microcrystalline Identification of Drugs of Abuse: The “White Cross Suite”
Julian, EA
Professor of pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Wyoming, Wyo.

Plein, EM
Professor emeritus of pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Wash.

(Received 9 July 1980; accepted 14 August 1980)

Abstract

The microcrystallographic properties of the diliturate (5-nitrobarbituric acid) derivatives of the amine drugs found in the illicit street drug preparations known as “white crosses” have been determined. The crystallographic properties, such as the crystal morphology, the extinction angles, the sign of elongation, and front face refractive indices serve to identify the drugs found in the illicit preparations. These data can be used with ultraviolet and infrared spectroscopic and chromatographic evaluations as a major method for the identification of drugs of abuse.

Keywords:
toxicology, crystallography, amines, chemical microscopy, drugs of abuse, “white cross suite”, amine dilituric acid derivatives, polarizing microscope, crystal morphology, refractive index, extinction angle, photomicrography

Paper ID: JFS11369J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS11369J
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