Enhancing forensic laboratories through university collaboration: obtaining conclusive reports and reference materials via NMR

Abstract

Forensic laboratories play a pivotal role in identifying and quantifying drugs in police seizures, often using spectroscopic techniques in combination with chromatographic methods that rely on chemical reference substances (CRS). The demand for a wide variety of CRS is critical, not only for common drugs like cocaine but also for the rapidly increasing number of new psychoactive substances (NPS), which emerge weekly. However, acquiring CRS is costly and bureaucratic because of the restricted circulation of these substances. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) offers a viable alternative to identifying and quantifying substances without the need for specific CRS for each analyte. Although NMR equipment is commonly available at universities, it is typically absent from police laboratories because of its high initial cost. This work highlights a successful partnership between a forensic laboratory and university-based NMR facilities as a cost-effective strategy for obtaining CRS. A case study involving four substances—cocaine, two recently scheduled NPS, metonitazene and dipentylone, and ADB-5′Br-BUTINACA—demonstrates the effectiveness of this collaboration. This partnership allowed the generation of conclusive reports for seized substances, providing early warnings about NPS and helping to prevent potential outbreaks and public health crises. Additionally, the strategy facilitated the acquisition of expensive CRS from samples that would otherwise be destroyed, at a reduced cost and within a shorter timeframe. Furthermore, this partnership enhances student training in advanced instrumental analysis and research, showcasing the benefits of collaboration between forensic and academic institutions.