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SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC METHOD FOR SCREENING URINE SAMPLES FOR AMINES, INCLUDING AMPHETAMINE AND METHYLAMPHETAMINE

NCJ Number
11706
Journal
Journal of the Forensic Science Society Volume: 13 Issue: 2 Dated: (APRIL 1973) Pages: 119-125
Author(s)
H M STEVENS
Date Published
1973
Length
7 pages
Annotation
ULTRA-VIOLET (UV) ABSORBING DITHIOCARBAMATES ARE FORMED SO THAT THE ABSORBANCE MAXIMA AND THE SHAPES OF THE UV CURVES CAN BE IDENTIFIED AND ANALYZED.
Abstract
THE DITHIOCARBAMATES ARE FORMED BY WARMING AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY ALIPHATIC AND HETEROCYCLIC AMINES WITH CARBON DISULPHIDE. THIS PROVIDES A SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC SCREENING METHOD FOR THESE AMINES, AS THE ABSORBANCE MAXIMA AND THE SHAPES OF THE UV CURVES VARY ACCORDING TO THE AMINE(S) PRESENT. ESTIMATIONS OF AMPHETAMINE AND METHYLAMPHETAMINE ON CASE SAMPLES OF URINE BY THIS METHOD AGREED WELL WITH OTHER METHODS, SUCH AS GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY, PROVIDED THAT ENDOGENOUS AMINES WERE NOT PRESENT IN THE URINE IN AMOUNTS LARGE ENOUGH TO INTERFERE BY DISTORTING THE UV CURVES. THE PRESENCE OF INTERFERING AMINES CAN BE ASCERTAINED, AFTER SEPARATING THEM FROM AMPHETAMINE OR METHYLAMPHETAMINE BY THIN-LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY, BY EXPOSING THE DRIED PLATE TO CARBON DISULPHIDE VAPOR AND THEN VIEWING IT IN UV RADIATION OF 254NM. BY THIS PROCEDURE VERY SMALL AMOUNTS OF AMPHETAMINE CAN BE DETECTED ON THE PLATE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)