Broadband terahertz time-domain spectroscopy of drugs-of-abuse and the use of principal component analysis

Analyst Pub Date: 2009-05-22 DOI: 10.1039/B817839A

Abstract

Terahertz frequency time-domain spectroscopy has been used to analyse a wide range of samples containing cocaine hydrochloride, heroin and ecstasy – common drugs-of-abuse. We investigated real-world samples seized by law enforcement agencies, together with pure drugs-of-abuse, and pure drugs-of-abuse systematically adulterated in the laboratory to emulate real-world samples. In order to investigate the feasibility of automatic spectral recognition of such illicit materials by terahertz spectroscopy, principal component analysis was employed to cluster spectra of similar compounds.

Graphical abstract: Broadband terahertz time-domain spectroscopy of drugs-of-abuse and the use of principal component analysis
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