Ion Mobility Spectrometry as a Tool in Evaluating the Efficacy of Cleaning Protocol for Clandestine Methamphetamine Laboratory Remediation

Abstract

Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) is frequently used to gauge the success of remediation in clandestine methamphetamine laboratory sites due to portability of the instrument. In most cases, remediation involves some form of surface cleaning, followed by assaying using IMS to detect residual contaminants. However, the effectiveness of this cleaning approach has not been systematically evaluated nor has the effect of residual cleaner on IMS response. In this study, various building materials were exposed to a solution of methamphetamine followed by a series of cleaning cycles with a commercially available detergent, Simple Green. We found that cleaning using Simple Green requires exhaustive efforts; therefore, other cleaning agents should be explored that might be able to achieve a non-detectable IMS signal with less effort.

Keywords:

• clandestine laboratory remediation
• forensic science
• ion mobility spectrometry
• methamphetamine

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Financial support was received from The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST, contract 10-197). Special thanks to undergraduate assistants Travis Doria, Kristen Felice, Danylle Knightlinger, Conor Lennon, and Marci Smeltz.