Forensic identification of LSD typically relies on the Ehrlich spot test, which is nonspecific and cannot distinguish LSD from the uncontrolled substance 9,10-dihydro-LSD, recently found in Brazilian blotters. This work used easy ambient sonic-spray ionization mass spectrometry (EASI-MS) to characterize LSD and 9,10-dihydro-LSD directly from blotter surfaces. Of 41 blotters analyzed by EASI-MS, 28 tested positive for LSD, seven for 9,10-dihydro-LSD, and six for neither. Results were confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Combining thin-layer chromatography with EASI-MS proved a simple, powerful screening tool for forensic drug analysis.
A compact, low-cost near-infrared (NIR) spectrophotometer, combined with chemometric models, can classify ecstasy tablets and estimate their active ingredient content with over 96% accuracy. Using seized samples from the Brazilian Federal Police, the study applied SIMCA, LDA, PLS-DA, and PLS regression to spectral data. The models estimated total active compounds, MDMA, and MDA with root mean square errors of 4.4%, 4.2%, and 2.7% (m/m), respectively. The approach offers a practical protocol for in-field forensic screening, though limitations such as false positives and negatives are discussed, and a new method to improve classification robustness is proposed.