Patent ID: 8404488
Filing Date: 2013-03-26
Classification: G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for on-site drug detection of an illicit drug sample, comprising the steps of: (i) preparing a liquid sample from a dry sample of the illicit drug sample by dissolving said dry sample in purified water; (ii) dividing the liquid sample into two portions comprising a reference sample and a main sample; (iii) adding hydrochloric acid and then sodium hydroxide into the reference sample; (iv) measuring Spectral Fluorescence Signatures (“SFS”) of the reference sample in order to detect the presence of a spectral pattern of morphine at a selected spectral point of SFS having the excitation wavelength 285 nm and emission wavelength of 340-345 nm wherein the measured SFS of the reference sample serves as a first reference value; (v) adding sodium hydroxide to the main sample to convert heroin into morphine through hydrolysis, and allowing a sufficient rest period for hydrolysis; (vi) adding hydrochloric acid to the main sample in order to stop the hydrolysis process; (vii) measuring SFS of the main sample at the selected spectral point of SFS in order to detect the presence of spectral pattern of morphine; (viii) comparing the first reference value with the value of SFS intensity of the main sample at the selected spectral point of SFS.