Analysis of Drugs of Abuse Using Specac's Golden Gate ATR Accessory

An important application of Fourier Transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy is the forensic analysis of drugs of abuse. Whether controlled narcotics or illegally obtained 'street' drugs, samples are routinely submitted for chemical analysis. The traditional method of analysis for powders and tablets is to grind them up with Potassium Bromide (KBr), press into a pellet or disc and collect an infrared transmittance spectrum. Making a 'good' KBr pellet takes practice and the quality of the spectra is often questionable and difficult to re-produce. The original sample cannot be recovered for presentation as evidence or further analysis. This application note demonstrates that the Golden Gate™ Diamond Attenuated Total Reflectance Accessory provides a solution to all these problems.