Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2026

Rapid High-throughput Species Identification of Botanical Material Using Direct Analysis in Real Time High Resolution Mass Spectrometry
Published on: October 2, 2016
Review of the most common chemometric techniques in illicit drug profiling
Ana Popovic1, Marie Morelato1, Claude Roux1
1Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, P.O. Box 123 Broadway NSW 2007 Australia.
Abstract:
The information generated through drug profiling can be used to infer a common source between one or several seizures as well as drug trafficking routes to provide insights into drug markets. Although well established, it is time-consuming and ineffective to compare all drug profiles manually. In recent years, there has been a push to automate processes to enable a more efficient comparison of illicit drug specimens. Various chemometric methods have been employed to compare and interpret forensic case data promptly. The intelligence that is produced can be used by decision-makers to disrupt or reduce the impact of illicit drug markets. This review highlights the most common chemometric techniques used in drug profiling and more specifically, the most efficient comparison metrics and pattern recognition techniques outlined in the literature.
Related Concept Videos
Mass Spectrometry: Complex Analysis
GC–MS is a powerful hyphenated method commonly used in forensics and environmental...
Qualitative Analysis
There are two main approaches to qualitative analysis:...
High-Performance Liquid Chromatography: Types of Detectors
Drug Concentrations: Measurements
Plasma —...

