ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 5

Isotopic Analysis of ¹³C as a Tool for Comparison and Origin Assignment of Seized Heroin Samples
Lamotte, A
Laboratoire de Police Scientifique de Lyon,

Besacier, F
Laboratoire de Police Scientifique de Lyon,

Chaudron-Thozet, H
Laboratoire de Police Scientifique de Lyon,

Brazier, JL
Laboratoire d'Etudes Analytiques et Cinétiques du Médicament, Institut des Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques,

Girard, J
Laboratoire de Police Scientifique de Lyon,

Guilluy, R
Laboratoire d'Etudes Analytiques et Cinétiques du Médicament, Institut des Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques,

(Received 20 February 1996; accepted 23 September 1996)

Abstract

The applicability of isotopic analysis of ¹³C for forensic purposes has been discussed in the case of heroin. The obtained results showed first that morphine acetylation induces an isotopic fractionation, so that the ¹³C enrichment of diacetylmorphine depends on both geographical origin of the sample and source of acetic anhydride used by the drug trafficker. That measurement can then be of great interest in the determination of common-batch samples (tactical intelligence purpose). Second, diacetylmorphine deacetylation has also been studied and it appeared that this deacetylation allows to relieve the enrichment from the acetylation-induced part. Therefore, measuring morphine ¹³C enrichment, from deacetylated heroin samples, can be useful for determining the geographical origin of the samples (strategic intelligence purpose). Moreover, measuring both diacetylmorphine and morphine ¹³C enrichments may help identify the source of acetic anhydride used by the drug trafficker, so that the fraudulent laboratory where the morphine samples have been acetylated.

Keywords:
forensic science, drugs of abuse, heroin, isotopic analysis, origin assignment

Paper ID: JFS14143J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS14143J
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