Week 43 Forensic Science Geek of the Week

Our good friend, Ron Moore, Esquire writes us “I actually had a client researching lawyers who looked at the Truth About Forensic Science geek of the week posts and liked my answers. It made a difference in who he decided to hire. Thanks!” So, there is a lot of value in www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge. Try it out today.

Forensic Science Geek of the Week

Forensic Science Geek of the Week
Forensic Science Geek of the Week

Thanks to the combined inspiration of Christine Funk, Esquire and Chuck Ramsay, Esquire, a new twist of this blog is being introduced. A weekly fun forensic science challenge/trivia question. The winner will be affectionately dubbed “www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week.”

Rules:

  1. The challenge will be posted Sunday morning 12 noon EST.
  2. Answers to the challenge will be entered by responding to this blog post or the www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com FaceBook fan page.
  3. All comments that are answers to this blog will released after 9pm EST.
  4. The first complete and correct answer will be awarded the envious title of “www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week”
  5. “www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week” is entitled a one time post of his/her picture on this blog and the www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com FaceBook fan page. The coveted title will be his/her for that week. Additionally, a winner will be allowed one link to one webpage of his/her choice. Both the picture and the weblink is subject to the approval of Justin J McShane, Esquire and will only be screened for appropriate taste.
  6. The winner will be announced Sunday night.
  7. A winner may only repeat two times in a row, then will have to sit out a week to be eligible again. This person, who was the two time in a row winner, may answer the question, but will be disqualified from the honor so as to allow others to participate.
  8. This is for learning and for fun. EVERYONE IS ENCOURAGED TO TRY TO ANSWER THE WEEKLY QUESTION. So give it a shot.

Here it is:

The www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com “Forensic Science Geek of the Week” challenge question. Remember the first full and complete answer wins the honor and also gets his/her photo displayed, bragging rights for the week and finally website promotion.

OFFICIAL QUESTION:

Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge
Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge

1. What is in the pipette and in the flask?

2. What is it used for?

3. What are the limitations to this assay?

The Hall of Fame for the www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week:
Week 1: Chuck Ramsay, Esquire

Week 2: Rick McIndoe, PhD

Week 3: Christine Funk, Esquire

Week 4: Stephen Daniels

Week 5: Stephen Daniels

Week 6: Richard Middlebrook, Esquire

Week 7: Christine Funk, Esquire

Week 8: Ron Moore, B.S., J.D.

Week 9: Ron Moore, B.S., J.D.

Week 10: Kelly Case, Esquire and Michael Dye, Esquire

Week 11: Brian Manchester, Esquire

Week 12: Ron Moore, B.S., J.D.

Week 13: Ron Moore, B.S., J.D.

Week 14: Josh Lee, Esquire

Week 15: Joshua Dale, Esquire and Steven W. Hernandez, Esquire

Week 16: Christine Funk, Esquire

Week 17: Joshua Dale, Esquire

Week 18: Glen Neeley, Esquire

Week 19: Amanda Bynum, Esquire

Week 20: Josh Lee, Esquire

Week 21: Glen Neeley, Esquire

Week 22:  Stephen Daniels

Week 23:  Ron Moore, B.S., J.D.

Week 24: Bobby Spinks

Week 25:  Jon Woolsey, Esquire

Week 26: Mehul B. Anjaria

Week 27: Richard Middlebrook, Esquire

WEEK 28: Ron Moore, Esquire

Week 29: Ron Moore, Esquire

Week 30: C. Jeffrey Sifers, Esquire

Week 31: Ron Moore, Esquire

Week 32: Mehul B. Anjaria

Week 33: Andy Johnston

Week 34: Ralph R. Ristenbatt, III

Week 35: Brian Manchester, Esquire

Week 36: Ron Moore, Esquire

WEEK 37: UNCLAIMED, IT COULD BE YOU!

Week 38: Pam King, Esquire

Week 39: Josh Lee, Esquire

WEEK 40: UNCLAIMED, IT COULD BE YOU!

WEEK 41: UNCLAIMED, IT COULD BE YOU!

Week 42: Steven W. Hernandez, Esquire

WEEK 43: IT COULD BE YOU!

4 Responses to “Week 43 Forensic Science Geek of the Week”

  • This is cobalt thoicyanate. It is a presumptive test for cocaine. It does cross react with other substances, and we would add hydrochloric acid to test cocaine base.

  • This is cobalt thoicyanate, a presumptive test for cocaine. It does cross react with other substances, so must be confirmed. We used to add HCl to test cocaine base.

  • This is a cobalt thiocyanate screening test for cocaine. Cobalt thicyanate is pink, and the crystals in the reaction vessel are cocaine powder.

    It’s use is for the presumptive or preliminary qualitative analysis of cocaine HCl and, maybe cocaine base, which may require the addition of HCl to convert the cocaine base to HCl (hydrochloride) to obtain the “blue color” indicating the possible presence of cocaine.

    It’s limitations are that it is a screening test and requires confirmation by either IR spectroscopy or GC/MS, and that both diphenhydramine (Benadryl), an antihistamine, and lidocaine, (Xylocaine), a local anesthetic, give “false positive” blue colors which can be misinterpreted as an indication of the presence of cocaine.

    David M. Benjamin, Ph.D.
    Clinical Pharmacologist and Forensic Toxicologist

  • Looks like the cobalt thiocyanate test for cocaine. This is a simple color test that is presumptive in nature. It therefore, is in no way is a chemical confirmation that the substance contains cocaine.

    The reagent is added to suspected cocaine. Cocaine hydrochloride will then turn bright blue (with crack or cocaine base producing only a dull blue). The subsequent addition of hydrochloric acid will change the color back to pink.

    Good test for the field and to guide the rest of the analytical process toward a suspected family of drugs, however it is solely a presumptive test as false positives will occur.

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