A LoGiCal® Solution for Forensic Toxicology

LGC Standards’ LoGiCal® reference materials are proving a valuable resource for scientists at the Institute of Forensic Research in Krakow, Poland.

Dr Dariusz Zuba, head of the Alcohol and Drug Analysis Laboratory in the Department of Forensic Toxicology, explained: “The Institute is part of the Ministry of Justice and undertakes casework for the courts, as well as carrying out research studies. When we need to purchase reference materials we always contact LGC Standards. The Company’s Polish office is very good at keeping us informed about recent developments and new products.”

“Our standard analytical protocols involve the analysis of samples by both GC-MS and HPLC. In more complex cases, we use LC-QTOFMS. We identify any new materials – legal highs – seized from the market and, if a drug is on the list of controlled substances, we perform quantitative analysis. LoGiCal reference solutions are ideal for this purpose because no preparation is needed, and we have used them to screen for drugs of abuse such as amphetamines and cocaine, as well as for research studies. The solutions are good quality and, unlike powders, are always ready for use; we just dilute them to the appropriate concentration. The uncertainty is also given, which is extremely important. It just makes no sense to buy standards without a Certificate of Analysis.”