GUIDES

Testing

Step-by-step guides to checking what is actually in a sample. Which reagent suits which substance, how to read a color change, and where reagents stop and purity testing begins.

51 articles

Step-by-step guides to checking what is actually in a sample. Which reagent suits which substance, how to read a color change, and where reagents stop and purity testing begins.

Testing Analysis, GC/MS, GCMS, HPLC, LAB, LC/MS, LCMS, NMR, Reagents, TLC, UV-Vis

How to test quality of drugs?

15 November 2023

Quality is three separate questions, and no single test answers all of them. Here is what each kind of test measures and how they fit together.

Testing Alkaloids, Coca, Cocaine, Coco, Coke, Liebermann, Marques, Marquis

False positive cocaine test results

12 November 2023

The classic cocaine test says yes to several substances that are not cocaine. Here is why that happens and what to use in its place.

Testing DOC, Ehrlich, Gel tab, Nbom, Nbome

How to detect fake LSD?

12 November 2023

Not every fake blotter is dangerous, but some are lethal. Here is what actually gets sold as LSD and how each one behaves with reagents.

Testing Amph, Amphetamine, Caffeine, Speed, TLC, Upper

How to detect caffeine?

3 November 2023

Caffeine is the single most common cut in European stimulants. It is also one of the easier adulterants to find, if you use the right test.

Testing 1B-LSD, 1cP-AL-LAD, 1cP-LSD, 1cP-MiPLA, 1D-LSD, 1P-LSD, 1V-LSD, AL-LAD, ETH-LAD, LSD, LSZ, Lysergamides, Psychedelics, Recommended, Research Chemical

How to test LSD derivatives?

13 October 2023

Lysergamide analogues are legal in many countries and increasingly common. They do react with Ehrlich and Hofmann, just not on the same timetable.

Testing 2c, Amphetamine, Ecstasy, Froehde, Liebermann, Mandelin, Marques, Marquis, MDMA, PMA, PMEA, PMMA, Robadope, Robatest, Simon, Simons, XTC

How to detect PMA / PMMA / PMEA?

18 August 2023

PMA and PMMA have killed people who believed they had taken MDMA. Here are the reagent reactions that separate them, compound by compound.

Testing Acid, Blotter, DOC, Ehrlich, Erlich, GEL, Gel tab, Hoffman, Hofman, Hofmann, LSD, lsd-25, lsd25, Marques, Marquis, Mecke, Microdot, Nbom, Nbome

How to test LSD gel tabs?

17 August 2023

Gel tabs hold far more carrier material than blotters, and that filler interferes with the reagent. Here is the procedure that still works.

Testing Acid, Amount, Blotter, Concentration, GEL, Gel tab, Hoffman, Hofman, Hofmann, LSD, lsd-25, lsd25, Purity, Recommended

We checked whether the Hofmann test, generally used to confirm the presence of “acid,” could be used as a reagent to test the amount of LSD. It turns out that yes, so when you buy a PRO test for identifying LSD you get a free test for quantity.

How to detect methamphetamine mixed into MDMA

Testing Amfetamin, Amphetamine, Ecstasy, MDA, MDMA, Meth, Methamphetamine, Molly, Recommended

How to detect meth/amphetamine mixed in MDMA?

7 January 2023

When a sample has more than one ingredient, a reagent mostly shows you the strongest reaction. Here is how to work around that and find the stimulant.