Abstract & References Vol 26 No 1 (2022)

Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 26 No 1 (2022): 130 - 151

PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL DISCRIMINATION OF METHAMPHETAMINE TABLETS FOR FORENSIC INTELLIGENCE

(Diskriminasi Fizikal dan Kimia bagi Pil Metamfetamin untuk Perisikan Forensik)

Noor Azlina Awang^1,2, Khai Lee¹, Way Koon Teoh¹, Vanitha Kunalan³, Ahmad Fahmi Lim Abdullah¹, Kah Haw Chang¹*

¹Forensic Science Programme, School of Health Sciences,

Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia

²Department of Chemistry Malaysia (Kelantan Branch), 16100 Panji, Kota Bharu, Malaysia

³Narcotics Division, Forensic Science Analysis Centre,

Department of Chemistry, Jalan Sultan, 46661 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

*Corresponding author: changkh@usm.my

Received: 16 September 2021; Accepted: 10 November 2021; Published: 25 February 2022

Abstract

Illicit methamphetamine seizures have risen significantly worldwide, and its widespread use threatens societal well-being. Thus, attention from various parties is required to stem methamphetamine trafficking; however, routine forensic analysis is generally limited to identifying and quantifying the controlled substances according to standard operating procedures. Although further analytical characterization and drug profiling via physical and chemical methods is not routinely conducted, it warrants further exploration for forensic comparison and intelligence. In this study, the physical and chemical profiles of seized illicit methamphetamine tablets were obtained employing various analytical techniques, including physical examination, attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transformed infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, thin layer chromatography (TLC), and gas chromatography (GC). Physical characterization did not enable the identification of methamphetamine, but sample discrimination based on unique logos and dimensions was achieved. Based on ATR-FTIR and principal component analysis results, caffeine was found to be the most common adulterant, while the dyes used in the composition were identified via TLC analysis. GC analysis results confirmed the presence of methamphetamine and its quantity. Overall, a methamphetamine tablet profiling strategy was implemented to gather important information regarding the similarities and differences among illicit methamphetamine tablets, potentially beneficial for sample-to-sample, case-to-case, and seizure-to-seizure comparisons.

Keywords: forensic science, methamphetamine, drug profiling, physical examination, chemical analysis

Abstrak

Rampasan metamfetamin haram telah meningkat dengan ketara di seluruh dunia and penggunaannya secara meluas telah mengancam kesejahteraan masyarakat. Justeru, perhatian daripada pelbagai pihak adalah diperlukan untuk mengurangkan penjualan metamfetamin. Namun begitu, analisis forensik rutin secara umumnya dihadkan kepada pengenalpastian dan pengkuantitian bahan terkawal berdasarkan prosedur operasi standard. Sungguhpun pencirian analitikal dan pemprofilan dadah seterusnya melalui kaedah fizikal dan kaedah kimia tidak dilaksanakan secara rutin, hal ini membolehkan penerokaan selanjutnya untuk perbandingan dan perisikan forensik. Dalam kajian ini, profil fizikal and profil kimia pil metamfetamin haram yang dirampas telah diperoleh dengan menggunakan pelbagai teknik analitikal, termasuk pemeriksaan fizikal, spektroskopi transformasi inframerah Fourier dengan pantulan keseluruhan dikecilkan (ATR-FTIR), kromatografi lapisan nipis (TLC) dan kromatografi gas (GC). Pencirian fizikal tidak membolehkan pengenalpastian metamfetamin tetapi diskriminasi sampel berdasarkan logo dan dimensi unik telah dicapai. Berdasarkan keputusan ATR-FTIR dan analisis komponen utama, kafien dinampakkan sebagai bahan adukan yang paling lazim, manakala pewarna yang digunakan dalam kandungan telah dikenal pasti melalui analisis TLC. Keputusan analisis GC telah memastikan kehadiran metamfetamin and kuantitinya. Secara keseluruhannya, satu strategi pemprofilan pil metamfetamin telah dilaksanakan untuk mengumpulkan maklumat penting berkenaan dengan kesamaan dan perbezaan antara pil metamfetamin haram. Hal ini berpotensi dalam memanfaatkan perbandingan sampel kepada sampel, kes kepada kes, dan rampasan kepada rampasan.

Kata kunci: sains forensik, metamfetamin, pemprofilan dadah, pemeriksaan fizikal, analisis kimia

Graphical Abstract

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