Comparison of in-scene presumptive tests for the detection of Cannabis traces on the inner surfaces of clip seal plastic bags

No Thumbnail Available
File version
Author(s)
Lobegeier, Vanessa
Chaseling, Janet
Cresswell, Sarah
Krosch, Matt N
Wright, Kirsty
Griffith University Author(s)
Primary Supervisor
Other Supervisors
Editor(s)
Date
2020
Size
File type(s)
Location
License
Abstract

Queensland Police Service. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the principal psychoactive constituent of Cannabis, and other cannabinoids can be transferred onto surfaces by direct or secondary contact. Identification of these traces generally involves time-consuming and expensive laboratory analysis away from the crime scene. A reliable, economical, in-scene presumptive test would thus be beneficial to target sampling in-scene, maximize evidence recovery, and reduce wastage. We addressed this by developing a sampling procedure for use with a commercial Duquenois–Levine (DL) test kit for detecting THC on sampled surfaces at scenes. We compared the augmented DL test with the DrugWipe® 5F (DW) surface sampling kit and confirmatory testing by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GCMS) by sampling the inner surfaces of clip seal plastic bags that were exposed to pure Cannabis and Cannabis/tobacco mixtures. The novel sampling protocol developed here for the DL test was highly successful and will transfer easily to real-world crime scene use. Both DL and DW tests successfully detected traces of Cannabis on sampled surfaces, and whilst DW tests were more sensitive, DL tests more closely corresponded to confirmatory GCMS results. Such presumptive screening will allow more efficient targeting of items for sampling, minimize expensive testing, and provide valuable real-time intelligence at the scene to assist investigations.

Journal Title

Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences

Conference Title
Book Title
Edition
Volume
Issue
Thesis Type
Degree Program
School
Publisher link
Patent number
Funder(s)
Grant identifier(s)
Rights Statement
Rights Statement
Item Access Status
Note

This publication has been entered as an advanced online version in Griffith Research Online.

Access the data
Related item(s)
Subject

Other biological sciences

Science & Technology

Life Sciences & Biomedicine

Medicine, Legal

Legal Medicine

Presumptive test

Persistent link to this record
Citation

Lobegeier, V; Chaseling, J; Cresswell, S; Krosch, MN; Wright, K, Comparison of in-scene presumptive tests for the detection of Cannabis traces on the inner surfaces of clip seal plastic bags, Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences, 2020

Collections