Nitazenes (etazene and its analogs are a new group of opioids found on the black market. They are usually sold as benzodiazepines (e.g. fake Xanax) or heroin and morphine and come with high risk of overdose. Unlike benzodiazepines, nitazenes can easily cause respiratory failure and death, and unlike heroin and morphine, their toxicity and dosage are not well-known.
All these substances can be detected through laboratory analysis, including simple presumptive rapid testing methods such as nitazene test strips or colorimetric reagents. In this article, we will show how to detect nitazenes (benzomidazoles) using a test kit.
Examples of nitazenes:
Etonitazepin
Isotonitazen
Metonitazen
N-desetyletonitazen
N-desetylisotonitazen
N-piperidinyletonitazen,
Protonitazen
How to detect nitazenes using test strips
Nitazene test strips are the most selective tools for detecting nitazenes even in trace amounts mixed with other compounds. Although as any other test kit, no test strip can detect all compounds, at all concentrations and in any sample, nitazene test strips can detect benzomidazoles at concentrations as low as 0.001-2mg/ml. Test strips are the best place to start when testing for presence of novel synthetic opioids.
Nitazenes (benzomidazoles) can be detected using reagents, especially the Liebermann or Morris test. The Morris test reacts with a distinctive deep blue color specifically with etazene, allowing its detection even if it is mixed with, for example, heroin. However, its analogs may not necessarily behave similarly, so this method cannot be relied upon to exclude unwanted opioids. A much more reliable approach is to use reagents for checking black market benzodiazepines. In contrast to, for example, alprazolam, some etazene derivatives show a strong reaction with the Liebermann reagent.
Morris reagent reactions with Etazene and derivatives
Source: own
Etazene – Reagent Test Results:
Marquis Reagent – pink or light orange
Mecke Reagent – dark yellow or light orange
Mandelin Reagent – orange / red
Liebermann Reagent – dark brown / purple
Froehde Reagent – orange
Robadope’s Reagent – no pink color change
Simon’s Reagent – no blue color change
Zimmermann Reagent – no reaction
Morris Reagent – no reaction
Cannabis Reagent – no reaction
Etonitazepin – Reagent Test Results:
Marquis Reagent – no color change / pale yellow
Mecke Reagent – no color change
Mandelin Reagent – no color change
Liebermann Reagent – dark brown / purple
Froehde Reagent – yellow
Isotonitazen – Reagent Test Results:
Robadope’s Reagent – no pink color change
Simon’s Reagent – no blue color change
Zimmermann Reagent – no reaction
Morris Reagent – pale green
Cannabis Reagent – no reaction
Metonitazen – Reagent Test Results:
Marquis Reagent – no color change
Mecke Reagent – yellow > brown
Mandelin Reagent – pale orange and green
Liebermann Reagent – red purple
Froehde Reagent – yellowish
Robadope’s Reagent – no pink color change
Simon’s Reagent – no blue color change
Zimmermann Reagent – no reaction
Morris Reagent – pale blue
Cannabis Reagent – no reaction
N-desetyletonitazen – Reagent Test Results:
Marquis Reagent – pale yellow/brown
Liebermann Reagent – reddish brown
Froehde Reagent – yellow
N-desetylisotonitazen – Reagent Test Results:
Marquis Reagent – pale yellow
Liebermann Reagent – purple-brown
Froehde Reagent – light blue
N-piperidinyletonitazen – Reagent Test Results:
Marquis Reagent – no color change
Mecke Reagent – light yellow / brown
Mandelin Reagent – light green and orange
Protonitazen – Reagent Test Results:
Marquis Reagent – no color change
Mecke Reagent – yellow
Mandelin Reagent – light green and orange
Drug Tests for Etazene and Etazene derivatives
As mentioned above, for testing the latest generation opioids, test strips are recommended, however we also recommend Liebermann, Morris and Froehde reagent tests..
