Improved cost effective thin-layer detection techniques for routine surveillance of commonly abused drugs in drug...

Improved, sensitive, reliable and cost effective thin-layer detection procedures for poly-drug usage (12-15 drug evaluations per specimen) are presented. Extraction procedures using ion-exchange resin loaded paper and liquid-liquid extraction with the built-in quality assurance program are reported. The combined use of ninhydrin-fluorescamine detection reagent for the identification of various central nervous system stimulants is only one of the several modifications and improvements made during the past 14 years. Laboratories, participating in proficiency testing programs in drug abuse toxicology monitoring are encourage the use of proposed extraction and identification techniques.