ASTM E2329-17

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Designation: E2329 − 14 E2329 − 17
Standard Practice for
Identification of Seized Drugs
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E2329; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope
1.1 This practice describes minimum criteria for the qualitative analysis (identification) of seized drugs.
1.2 Listed are a number of analytical techniques for the identification of seized drugs. These techniques are grouped on the basis
of their discriminating power. Analytical schemes based on these groupings are described.
1.3 Additional information is found in Guides E1968, E1969, E2125, and E2548 and Practices E2326, E2327, E2549, and
E2764.
1.4 This practice does not replace knowledge, skill, ability, experience, education or training and should be used in conjunction
with professional judgment.standard should be used in conjunction with sound professional judgment, and cannot replace
knowledge, skill, or ability acquired through appropriate education, training, and experience.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety safety, health, and healthenvironmental practices and determine the
applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.6 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued
by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards:
E1968 Guide for Microcrystal Testing in Forensic Analysis of Cocaine
E1969 Guide for Microcrystal Testing in Forensic Analysis of Methamphetamine and Amphetamine
E2125 Guide for Microcrystal Testing in Forensic Analysis of Phencyclidine and Its Analogues
E2326 Practice for Education and Training of Seized-Drug Analysts
E2327 Practice for Quality Assurance of Laboratories Performing Seized-Drug Analysis
E2548 Guide for Sampling Seized Drugs for Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis
E2549 Practice for Validation of Seized-Drug Analytical Methods
E2764 Practice for Uncertainty Assessment in the Context of Seized-Drug Analysis
2.2 Other Document:
SWGDRUG Scientific Working Group for the Analysis of Seized Drugs—Recommendations for: Education and Training,
Quality Assurance, Methods of Analysis
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions—Terms that may assist in interpreting this practice are found in the SWGDRUG glossary.Glossary of Terms and
Definitions, Annex A.
4. Significance and Use
4.1 These are minimum requirements applicable to the identification of seized drugs.
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E30 on Forensic Sciences and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E30.01 on Criminalistics.
Current edition approved Dec. 1, 2014Oct. 1, 2017. Published December 2014October 2017. Originally approved in 2004. Last previous edition approved in 20102014
as E2329 – 10.E2329 – 14. DOI: 10.1520/E2329-14.10.1520/E2329-17.
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
Available from the Scientific Working Group for the Analysis of Seized Drugs (SWGDRUG), http://www.swgdrug.org.http://www.swgdrug.org/approved.htm.
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E2329 − 17
4.1.1 As these are minimum requirements, it should be recognized that they may not be sufficient for the identification of all
drugs in all circumstances. Within these requirements, it is up to the the responsibility of the individual laboratory’s management
to determine which combination of analytical techniques best satisfies the requirements of its jurisdiction.
4.2 Correct identification of a drug or chemical depends on the competence of the analyst and the use of an analytical scheme
based onthat incorporates validated methods (see Practice E2549) and the competence of the analyst. ). It is expected that in the
absence of unforeseen error, an appropriate analytical scheme effectively results in no uncertainty in reportedreliable and
scientifically supported identifications (see Practice E2764).
4.3 This practice requires the use of multiple uncorrelated techniques. laboratory’s analytical scheme to incorporate techniques
that operate on significantly different principles. It does not discourage the use of any particular method within an analytical
scheme. Unique requirements in different jurisdictions may dictate the actual Actual practices followed by a particular
laboratory.laboratory may depend upon jurisdictional requirements.
5. Categories of Analytical Techniques
5.1 For the purpose of this practice, techniques for the analysis of drug samples are classified into three categories (see Table
1) based on their maximum potential discriminating power. However, the classification of a technique may be lower, if the sample,
analyte, or mode of operation diminishes its discriminating power.
5.1.1 Examples of diminished discriminating power may include:include but are not limited to:
5.1.1.1 An infrared spectroscopy technique applied to a mixture which produces a combined spectrum, and
5.1.1.2 A mass spectrometry technique (low or high resolution) which only produces molecular weight information.
6. Identification Criteria
6.1 This practice requires that the following minimum criteria be utilized when making analytical identifications:
6.1.1 When a validated Category A technique is incorporated into an analyti
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