Chemometric application operating a portable laser infrared sensor detecting illicit phenethylamines

Abstract

We are presenting a chemometrical application designed to recognize compounds having a molecular structure similar to the main controlled stimulant and hallucinogenic illicit phenetylamines, i.e. to amphetamines and their main precursors, the ephedrines. The input database contains their infrared laser spectra, which have been recorded with a new portable GC -IR sensor, in the spectral domain (1405 -1150 cm -1 ), specific to its quantum cascade laser (QCL) source of electromagnetic radiation (UT8). A discriminating w TE feature weight was first determined by using the spectra of the targeted positives and the spectra of various compounds of forensic interest. The input database, formed with the w TE 2 preprocessed laser infrared spectra, has been subjected to Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The scores plots have been analyzed in order to evaluate to what extent the amphetamines and their main precursors, the ephedrines, are forming specific and successfully distinguishable clusters. The results indicate that the application meets the requirements of forensic analytical tools.

2C-x and DOx hallucinogens: a systematic review

“…In 2019, Ciochina et al have reported a chemometric application developed to automatize the processing of the GC-IR spectral data obtained with a portable infrared sensor designed to detect illicit phenethylamines, highlighting the remarkable results obtained with PCA [54]. Other pattern recognition systems, using HCA and Naive Bayesian Classifier (NBC), have also been built to automatize and improve the efficiency in recognizing the class identity of amphetamines [55].…”

Convolutional Neural Network Detecting Synthetic Cannabinoids

“…Despite the increasing number of psychoactive substances found on the black market, only few comprehensive screening methods are yet available for their detection [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. The automatic detection is performed by a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) application based on the Attenuated Total Reflection-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectra of the targeted drugs of abuse, as many spectrometers are portable and hence are appropriate for in situ screening for illicit compounds.…”