Background: The most used on-site methods to identify illicit drugs consist of color tests
or spectroscopic methods with as a downside the lack of accuracy and selectivity. The law
still requires confirmation of these results with chromatographic methods. These
conventional methods are precise but time-consuming and of high cost. There is a need
for more rapid and still accurate analysis, with cost-effective and portable methods.
Aim: As the first goal of this study, a selection of drug samples is analysed and the results
are compared with statistics from Belgium and Europe for the years 2019, 2020 and 2021.
This is to portray the possible influence of COVID-19 on drugs. Secondly, the suspected
MDMA samples are analysed with four alternative techniques. The pros and cons are
compared of these alternative methods for on-site use by non-experts.
Methods: The samples are identified with GC-MS and quantified with UV-spectroscopy.
The obtained results are compared with statistics from the statistical bulletin and the
European Drug Report. The suspected MDMA samples are identified with mid-IR, near-IR,
Raman spectroscopy and the Narcoreader. The results of these four alternative devices are
compared with the conventional methods.
Results: The MDMA dosage in tablets and the MDMA purity in crystals followed an
increasing trend in Belgium. The purity of cocaine stays quite stable in Belgium. The purity
of amphetamine showed fluctuations in Belgium, with an important increase in median
purity in 2022. After weighing the pros and cons of the alternative methods, the mid-IR
device had all over the best results and could be far more attractive for on-site use in its
already existing portable format. The Narcoreader had also good results and
characteristics. It is portable, user-friendly, fast and precise.
Conclusion: The comparison of the statistics is not representative due to the lack of
statistics and sampling in different sources. It is interesting to portray how the pandemic
could influence the purities and dosages of illicit drugs, although the correlation cannot be
assured. The search for an ideal portable device for on-site identification should include
more recent and portable spectroscopic devices to make a fair match with the novel
Narcoreader.
