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Technical Note – Gas Chromatography Vapor-Phase Infrared Spectroscopy (GC-VIR)

NCJ Number
308607
Author(s)
J. Perr; J. Almirall
Date Published
December 2023
Length
7 pages
Annotation

This publication is a technical note to the white paper Evolving Approaches and Technologies for Seized Drug Analysis” describing gas chromatography vapor-phase infrared spectroscopy (GC-VIR).

Abstract

This technical note to the white paper “Evolving Approaches and Technologies for Seized Drug Analysis” provides an in-depth description of gas chromatography vapor-phase infrared spectroscopy (GC-VIR). Seized drug samples are commonly analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and infrared spectroscopy (IR). These techniques are robust, well integrated into forensic laboratories, and familiar to analysts.  GC-VIR was not widely used until 30 years after the initial introduction when improvements in sensitivity, dynamic detection range, quantitation, real-time detection, and library availability approached that of GC-MS.