A study by the institute and New Zealand’s Environmental Science and Research (ESR) revealed that certain surfaces could retain more traces of methamphetamine residue than others.
Commonly referred to as a stimulant, methamphetamine can be taken as a recreational drug by either smoking or injecting it. It is regarded as a Class A drug in the UK, and its use is illegal in many other countries, including New Zealand.
In New Zealand, concerns about the presence of methamphetamine in households have been raised. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to detect the presence of these substance traces on surfaces, hindering any forensic investigation.
The study published in the journal Forensic Science International aims to analyze the levels of contamination on various household surfaces that were affected by the use of methamphetamine. Salomé Nicolle, a former institute student of MSc Forensic Science, conducted the experiments. Salomé worked with researchers from ESR, New Zealand, to simulate the effects of methamphetamine on different household surfaces, including acrylic, metal, plaster, tile, and wood surfaces.
The study’s results revealed that the acrylic surfaces had the highest retention of methamphetamine while the tile surfaces had the lowest. Based on these results, the authors proved that methamphetamine retention depended on the surface’s material.
In addition, the authors analyzed the correlation between the amount of methamphetamine smoked and the residue detected. Therefore, combining these two factors could provide a more accurate method of identifying the amount of methamphetamine that was smoked on the surfaces.
Forensic analysis techniques employed in the study could detect residues in a wide range, with the minimum contamination detection level almost four times lower than in previous studies. This indicates that lesser smoke is needed to identify methamphetamine consumption in a room based on the residue left behind.
The techniques utilized in the study were able to detect various types of methamphetamine residue. They were also able to lower the detection level of contamination compared to previous studies. This suggests that less smoke is needed to identify the consumption of methamphetamine in a room.
The researchers also detected the presence of amphetamine, a by-product of smoking. Although the correlation between the presence of amphetamine and methamphetamine consumption decreased with the concentration of the substance, Salomé believes that future studies on this subject could provide a more accurate method of detecting both production and consumption of methamphetamine.
Salomé gained valuable experience and impressive research during her postgraduate studies in Forensic Science. As a result, she pursued a career in forensics and is currently working in Metropolitan Police.
“I hope our results have opened a path for more accurate detection of methamphetamine levels and better knowledge of surface type retention. I also hope our research can be a starting point for looking into the correlation between methamphetamine and amphetamine in more detail.”
Salomé Nicolle, MSc Forensic Science alumnus
