Everything leaves a trace, which is why forensics is an essential tool in the criminal justice system. There is a global trend to use increasingly more scientific and technical evidence in legal matters due to the increasing number of compounds being discovered and the ability to detect smaller and smaller quantities of a substance by using the correct instrumentation.
Mass spectrometry is a highly sensitive and efficient tool that is commonly used by forensic specialists to screen, identify and quantify known and unknown substances. The introduction of mass spectrometry techniques in this field has revolutionised the way forensic laboratories approach analytical problems.
Gas chromatography is widely used in forensic laboratories to separate substances of mass spectrometry analysis for a very large number of applications, however liquid chromatography has become increasingly important as a separation technique and is used mostly in biomedical or toxicology applications, such as analysis of substances for suspected illicit drugs and to confirm the findings of drug tests. The tests can be performed on the substances themselves, human tissue or fluids. Analysing new drugs and compounds can be very time consuming or even impossible without the correct tools and the development of novel psychoactive substances is always on the rise.
The use of LC-MS has found its way into the field of forensic testing and due to its versatility, it has proven successful in any analytical challenge. The investment in an LC-MS system is high and appropriate preventative maintenance and service is required to guarantee its high efficiency and accuracy in results. Laboratories cannot afford to have their data disputed in the courtroom and have financial impact and reputation damage caused by the lack of servicing.
Contact us now to learn more about how to improve your system service for forensic applications.