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Citation |
Child AM, Child P. J. Can. Soc. Forensic Sci. 2007; 40(3): 131-141. |
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Copyright |
(Copyright © 2007, Canadian Society of Forensic Science, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group) |
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DOI |
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PMID |
unavailable |
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Abstract |
Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is one of the most widely-used drugs for drink adulteration in "date-rape" cases. Several test kits have been introduced to detect GHB in drinks. These include "DrinkSafe™" cards, "DrinkSafe™" coasters, and "Drink Detective™" test kits. This work was conducted to determine how well the available kits detect GHB in a variety of beverages. Using synthetic GHB in pure water, all three test kit types gave a positive blue response. No false negatives were observed. Gamma-butyrolactone and water gave no response on any of the kits. Experiments with beverages containing GHB focussed on the "DrinkSafe™" products because they provide two test areas on each card, allowing spiked and un-spiked beverages to be compared directly. Using the original green colour of the "DrinkSafe™" products as a reference, seven of the eleven drinks gave an obvious blue reaction with the cards and nine of eleven with the coasters. In both cases, GHB-spiked Cosmopolitan and Margarita samples gave false negatives. With all beverages, however, the control drink changed the colour of the test spot. This reproducible difference in colour between the control and the spiked samples suggests that by putting an unadulterated sample of drink onto the test card, an individual could greatly increase their chances of detecting GHB in their beverage. Despite some limitations, the low cost of the kits and their apparent reliability suggest that they would be a useful screening tool for officials investigating rape cases. |