Chemical Analysis

test tubes of pretty chemicals

Chemical compounds are analyzed and identified. A certain substance may have a few components that it has to have to make it what it is, but there are a few inactive ingredients as well. Those inactive ingredients are what will help narrow down the search as to where the substance came from, who manufactures it, where it is sold. That can then get a search warrant to find out who exactly bought that specific thing recently and cross check with possible suspects. This whole process uses analytical chemistry to break down everything into the most basic elements. Chemical analysis is used in drug analysis, toxicology, any trace substance at a crime lab. Sometimes the TV will flower up the job, but their job is to determine what is located on everything, what is out of place, what can place a killer, if it is a murder, at the scene of the crime. The chemical analysis will then help determine what the trace is and where it came from.

Over the years, more and more chemical compounds will be created. They will be created on the street, so the crime labs will have to keep up with the identification of everything. That includes all the new drugs and everything out there that can be used in any type of combination. In the coming years it is tough to say which will be ahead, most likely the streets only for the fact that the stuff has to come out before the crime labs can know what it is.

Crime Lab. Tucson Police Department. 5 May 2009 http://tpdinternet.tucsonaz.gov/Organization/units/Crime_lab.html