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Determination of diazepam in cold drinks by high-performance thin-layer chromatography
R K Sarin1, G P Sharma, K M Varshney
1Central Forensic Science Laboratory, Ministry of Home Affairs, Hyderabad, India.
Journal of Chromatography. A
|November 11, 1998
Summary
A new method detects and quantifies diazepam, a sedative, in beverages like soda and fruit juice. This reliable technique aids law enforcement in identifying criminal adulteration of drinks.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Chemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Drug adulteration in beverages poses a significant public health and safety risk.
- Criminal activities increasingly involve the illicit addition of pharmaceuticals to consumer products.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a robust methodology for detecting and quantifying diazepam in non-alcoholic carbonated beverages and fruit drinks.
- To provide a reliable analytical tool for forensic laboratories to identify beverage adulteration.
Main Methods:
- Extraction of diazepam from spiked beverages using diethylether and chloroform at pH 8.5.
- Identification of diazepam based on retention factor (RF) values and in situ UV spectra.
- Quantitation of diazepam through densitometric scanning of chromatograms at 230 nm.
Main Results:
- The developed method successfully extracted and identified diazepam from various non-alcoholic beverages.
- The quantitation was accurate and reproducible, demonstrating the method's reliability.
- The technique proved effective for both qualitative and quantitative analysis.
Conclusions:
- A rapid and reliable method for diazepam detection and quantitation in adulterated beverages has been established.
- This methodology is suitable for routine analysis by law enforcement and forensic laboratories.
- The study provides a valuable tool for combating the criminal adulteration of drinks.