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Spectrometer (or other) for identifying pills?
#1
Has anyone tried a consumer grade spectrometer for identifying pill composition, or have any knowledge in that field?

The reason I ask is because I'm extremely dubious that the pills that were sent to me are what they claim to be.  I've questioned the vendor and, while quick to respond, he or she has made far too many weird and suspect statements.  They include things like:

- I believe the ___ to be the real thing
- I've tested these myself and I can assure you they are indeed ___
- It may take time for your body to adjust to different brands of the same medication
- The large size of the pill is what's causing your upset stomach.  (pill in question is notorious for opposite effect)

I know what the real thing feels like, having had a valid US prescription last year.  This is not it.

He'd be better off not saying anything at all because these are ridiculous statements coming from someone who has these available to purchase by the thousands.  I feel like if he had full transparency and confidence in the product he would have much better assurances than that.

So anyway, I'd like to take control of the situation and have them tested myself, or purchase a device than can do it.  There are a couple reasonably priced spectrometer devices that pair with your phone that claim to be able to identify pills.  Or do you think I'd be be better off with a chemical testing kit of some kind?  Item in question is per-cassette. Smile

Looking to you fine people for guidance.  Thank you.
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#2
Are there any consumer-priced spectrometers that have been proven to work? I've only read reports of devices that turned out to be completely useless.

Your best best is probably a chemical reagent testing kit. They won't tell you the exact chemical, but at least you'll know if what you got is legit.

www.safetest4.co.uk/
testsure.com/reagent-drug-test-kits/

By the way, did you buy these items from one of the vendors in our forum?
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#3
(02-09-2018, 10:39 PM)invisiblejungle Wrote: Are there any consumer-priced spectrometers that have been proven to work? I've only read reports of devices that turned out to be completely useless.

Your best best is probably a chemical reagent testing kit. They won't tell you the exact chemical, but at least you'll know if what you got is legit.

www.safetest4.co.uk/
testsure.com/reagent-drug-test-kits/

By the way, did you buy these items from one of the vendors in our forum?

Thanks I think I'll try that test kit.  I've seen a few spectrometers around $300 but I think a problem might be that each drug would need to have a profile created for it first and the one company that I've contacted so far only has 2 drugs profiled right now which I find pretty comical. 

And I did mean to mention earlier that this was not one of the forum vendors.  It is in the black/questionable list, TDRX when abbreviated.  To tell you the truth I'm not even sure how I found that site but it was before I became a member here.  I did just receive some product from another vendor with a good rep here and I can already tell that I got what I paid for with them.
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#4
If the Reagent kit shows that it is say a Benzo then if you feel comfortable about it then take it. Then go to online lab tests and order a UDM with confirmation and it will tell you exactly what it is.
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#5
(02-11-2018, 04:30 PM)Caver Wrote: If the Reagent kit shows that it is say a Benzo then if you feel comfortable about it then take it. Then go to online lab tests and order a UDM with confirmation and it will tell you exactly what it is.

Well shoot, I hit a bit of a roadblock.  I went to purchase a kit but they don't actually ship to the US.  Do you know of any other similar test kits I might be able to buy?

Duh.... eb@y! More expensive but at least it will get here sooner.
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#6
(02-13-2018, 07:57 PM)Zobra Wrote:
(02-11-2018, 04:30 PM)Caver Wrote: If the Reagent kit shows that it is say a Benzo then if you feel comfortable about it then take it. Then go to online lab tests and order a UDM with confirmation and it will tell you exactly what it is.

Well shoot, I hit a bit of a roadblock.  I went to purchase a kit but they don't actually ship to the US.  Do you know of any other similar test kits I might be able to buy?

Duh.... eb@y!  More expensive but at least it will get here sooner.

The second link is a US company:
testsure.com/reagent-drug-test-kits/
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#7
No 'test kits' will discriminate between different benzs. The best they can do is give you a qualitative measurement which is a highly subjective way of trying to figure out what class of med is actually inside your item.

As far as 'purchasing analytical equipment' to figure out what you have. The cheapest possible spectrometer I can think of, and have used in the past, is an LC/MS machine. These are not easily found, they are most likely 'watched' by alphabet agencies, and are extremely expensive. Unless you happen to know a retiring chemist who will gladly give you his, or sell you one for cheap.

Even in that rare circumstance, you must be able to order the proper type of water (deionized, specially made for LC/MS equipment or the machine will get clogged within a week), you'll need other highly-pure and expensive solvents to use, all of which can only be purchased by someone with the appropriate license from major manufacturers...yes, even outside the US.

Take home: a reagent test kit with the strips is the best you'll be able to do on your own. Unless you are willing to submit a tablet to an analytical testing facility and pay upwards of $200 for a result that's based on a peak they see in the spectra, that they can directly compare to known literature about that peak for that specific compound....they will never be able to tell you the 'exact amount of X in tablet Y.
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#8
(06-13-2019, 06:50 PM)thepianist Wrote: No 'test kits' will discriminate between different benzs.  The best they can do is give you a qualitative measurement which is a highly subjective way of trying to figure out what class of med is actually inside your item.

As far as 'purchasing analytical equipment' to figure out what you have.  The cheapest possible spectrometer I can think of, and have used in the past, is an LC/MS machine.  These are not easily found, they are most likely 'watched' by alphabet agencies, and are extremely expensive.  Unless you happen to know a retiring chemist who will gladly give you his, or sell you one for cheap.

Even in that rare circumstance, you must be able to order the proper type of water (deionized, specially made for LC/MS equipment or the machine will get clogged within a week), you'll need other highly-pure and expensive solvents to use, all of which can only be purchased by someone with the appropriate license from major manufacturers...yes, even outside the US. 

Take home: a reagent test kit with the strips is the best you'll be able to do on your own.  Unless you are willing to submit a tablet to an analytical testing facility and pay upwards of $200 for a result that's based on a peak they see in the spectra, that they can directly compare to known literature about that peak for that specific compound....they will never be able to tell you the 'exact amount of X in tablet Y.

So right thepianist.
………………………….LC/MS spectrophotometer is > 50K and requires all the specialized equipment from software/liquids/gases/standards etc - not to mention the knowledge of how to use it.
This is type of equipment used in quality product purity and control/forensics/ etc. 
I used one- it's out of the normal consumer realm.

Even if you have a buddy who has access to one- it takes the right column ( used for component separation ) and LC/MS conditions to get it to work- the person would need to be in the business of drug quality control/research; to know how to do it.

Folken






 
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#9
Never used this service, but for €70 this international organisation will do a proper test with GC/MS and LC/MS/MS. They seem orientated towards "safe" recreational use rather than medicinal, but they can still do the lab testing (the science doesn't care why you are using!).

h t t p s (remove the spaces) ://energycontrol-international.org/drug-testing-service/submitting-a-sample/

I realise this is not cheap, but could possibly save you a real problem and at least put your mind at rest about safety. You would need to check with them directly as to whether they measure the strength of a sample or just what it contains.
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