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Automated Preparation of Heroin Samples for GC-MS Analysis

August 15, 2018

August 2018 – Dulles, USA

The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Heroin Signature Program (HSP) and its Heroin Domestic Monitor Program (HDMP) aim to increase the DEA’s ability to identify the geographic origin of heroin in the U.S. wholesale and retail markets. These programs also gather data on heroin purity levels and trafficking trends into and across the United States. Both these programs require that many hundreds of heroin samples be analyzed at the DEA Special Testing and Research Laboratory (SFL1) every year. The DEA chose Chemspeed Technologies to provide an automated sample preparation platform to help handle this challenging workload by increasing throughput of sample analysis.

For more information about the solution applied:
SWING DRU-X-TOR

About DEA: The mission of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Office of Forensic Sciences is to provide quality scientific, technical and administrative support to the law enforcement and intelligence communities and to the criminal justice system at large, to assist with the enforcement of controlled substance laws and regulations of the United States. The DEA Laboratory System provides scientific support to DEA Special Agents and other law enforcement personnel. This encompasses a wide variety of duties and forensic disciplines, including analysis of suspected controlled substances and related substances, crime scene investigation, latent fingerprint identification and photographic development, analysis and evaluation of digital (computer) evidence, development, monitoring, and processing of hazardous waste cleanups at clandestine laboratory investigations and disposals, and expert witness testimony. Typically, controlled substances analyses consists of two steps. The first step involves a qualitative analysis in which controlled substances are identified, as well as other non-controlled components. The other step involves determining the amount of controlled substance present, i.e., its purity. The Fingerprint and Photography Program provide forensic fingerprint services to complement drug law enforcement operations. Computer Forensic Examiners recover information of probative value from computers and magnetic storage media (diskettes, tapes and data cartridges).

For more information about DEA, visit the corporate website: https://www.dea.gov/

To receive the full application note, please contact [email protected]

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