Onondaga County

Forensic Chemistry, Controlled Substances/Plant Material

Samuel VanDee, Senior Forensic Chemist

The Forensic Chemistry section receives evidence for the analysis of suspected controlled substances. These substances may be listed under the federal Controlled Substance Act or under Article 33, Section 3306 of the New York State Public Health Law. Submitted evidence can include powder, capsules, tablets, plant material, paraphernalia, or any solid or liquid material that contains a controlled substance. Analytical techniques used by forensic chemists include presumptive color test, macroscopic and microscopic examinations, Raman spectroscopy (TruNarc), gas chromatography (GC), gas chromatography with infrared detection (GC-IRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) for qualitative analysis. When quantitative analysis is required, gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) is the preferred method.

Submission Guidelines

The following items should be submitted with a DR request for analysis:

• Seized drug evidence from A1 or A2 felonies.
• Seized drug evidence that is associated with seized firearms.
• Seized drug evidence in which a field color test is not available or gave inconclusive results and this information is needed for an arrest or charge may be submitted to the CFS for analysis at the request of a law enforcement agency or attorney’s office.
• Seized drug evidence that is prone to heat or light degradation such as dimethyltryptamine (DMT), lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) or cathinone/cathine should be submitted to the CFS as soon as possible.
• Volatile liquid drug evidence such as liquid phencyclidine (PCP) should be submitted to the CFS as soon as possible.
• Seized plant material suspected of being laced.
• Seized drug evidence that consists of numerous individually packaged items (>100) should be submitted to the CFS as soon as possible if required for prosecution.
• Other drug evidence in which the analysis is required for an investigation or prosecution as determined by the prosecuting attorney’s office or law enforcement agency should be submitted to the CFS for analysis.

Proper Collection/Proper Handling

• Evidence seized from body cavities or evidence contaminated with blood, body fluids or biological waste should be clearly marked as a biohazard.
• The inherent dangers of hypodermic syringes, including the transmittal of disease (AIDS, hepatitis, etc.) are significant. The Forensic Chemistry Section will not accept hypodermic syringes for analysis unless a special request for analysis is made by the law enforcement agency or prosecuting attorney’s office indicating that the evidence is essential to a criminal prosecution. The Director of Laboratories, or his/her designee, must approve the acceptance of hypodermic syringes. The investigating agency may submit the liquid from within the syringe by transferring it to an appropriate glass container.
• The Forensic Chemistry Section will not accept or examine clandestine laboratory waste products or poisons such as arsenic, rat poison or ethylene glycol.
• Used field test kits and wipes will not be examined and should not be submitted with the evidence.
• Any soil, roots and large stems/stalks should not be sent to the CFS. Package this material separately from the material to be tested.
• Plant material (including marijuana, mushrooms and khat) should be thoroughly dried before submitting them to the CFS. Storage and packaging of freshly cut or moist plant material in plastic facilitates the development of mold. Not only does the mold make analysis more difficult, it may also change the condition of the plant material and make it unsuitable for analysis. Additionally, the inhalation of mold spores may cause respiratory problems.