ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 19

Comparison of Illicit Cocaine by Determination of Minor Components
Savard, C
Supervisor and analysts, Drug Identification Laboratory, Bureau of Drug Research, Health Protection Branch, ON

Latham, D
Supervisor and analysts, Drug Identification Laboratory, Bureau of Drug Research, Health Protection Branch, ON

Lauriault, G
Supervisor and analysts, Drug Identification Laboratory, Bureau of Drug Research, Health Protection Branch, ON

LeBelle, M
Supervisor and analysts, Drug Identification Laboratory, Bureau of Drug Research, Health Protection Branch, ON

Callahan, S
Supervisor and analysts, Drug Identification Laboratory, Bureau of Drug Research, Health Protection Branch, ON

(Received 6 August 1990; accepted 3 October 1990)

Abstract

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC) combined with both a flame ionization detector (FID) and a mass spectrometer (MS) were used to determine the minor components in illicit uncut cocaine. Two HPLC systems were used to determine, in cocaine exhibits, the relative amounts of the main coca alkaloids: cocaine, cis-cinnamoylmethylecgonine (CIS), and trans-cinnamoyl-methylecgonine (TRANS). GC/FID and GC/MS were used to determine only the acidic and neutral components of cocaine exhibits. The significance of the presence of these minor components and their use to the forensic chemist for the matching and comparison of exhibits are discussed.

Keywords:
toxicology, cocaine, chemical analysis, minor components, impurities, other alkaloids, sample matching, sample linking

Paper ID: JFS13126J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS13126J
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