Equipment labs use for testing pills?

[Gnome Raver]

Was just wondering that if I happened to have a whole bunch of money sitting around doing nothing (hypothetically speaking of course

) what equipment would I need to buy to be able to test with the accuracy of a lab?
Do they use a gas spectromter or something similar (sorry if I sound a dumb ass on this, hated chemistry and spent the entire time making explosives - don't worry it was just for fun I didn't blow anything up or hurt anyone

)
I am just curious as to what really is involved to actaully analyze a pill and tell how much of each substance it contains.
Also what would the costs be... any young chemists out there want to offer their advice?
Thanks in advance, feel free to flame me down for such a silly question, but I couldn't find a detailed mention anywhere (if it is in an FAQ please let me know)
Enjoy life, stay safe, party hard, love...

 

[johnboy]

gnome: i see you are in melbourne, so am i... if you've got icq my number is 30298693 or email me on [email protected]
mainly so icould see this video you were mentioning before, and the offer to maybe do documentation of pill testing.
i am talking to rave safe right now about setting up a programme. this will, alas, not be full gas spectro testing, it will be reagent testing, but with for a larger range of chemicals, and it will be done at either a police forensics or toxicology lab.
all this, of course, depends on the funding coming thru.
as for gas spectro testing, im not a chemist and i only know a little about it but i'll say what i know.
what you need is a gas spectro machine (whatever that is) lab data to compare your samples to, an accurate weighing of your sample to break down the percentage of material vs weight, and um.. well i guess thats about it.
the trick is, of course, is to ave access to the machine and to have the correct lab protocols to set it all up.
------------------
"i think i'll stick to drugs to get me thru the long, dark night of late-capitalism..."
Irvine Welsh

 

[aj]

If you really want to know, maybe you should try to contact one of those institutes listed here : http://eztest.com/labtesting.php3
Give 'em a call and maybe they can give you the information or some good pointers.
Rgds
aj

 

[Gnome Raver]

Hey Johnboy I don't have ICQ running right now (do have numbers but don't use at the moment).
I thought I sent the video to you... will try again (do you have PGP? great encryption program, I can help with this if you like)... now I am wondering who I sent it to??? oops.
Would be happy to parcipitate with testing and helping ravers be safe... keen to help you with what you are doing with rave Safe and who they are and what they do, etc.b

 

[Cowboy Mac]

im in melbourne too, it'd be great to get some reagent testing at the events or be able to send a pill in for a more scientific result.

 

[xratd]

What u need is a HPLC, High Preassure Liquid Chromatograph. You need to disolve the sample in solvent and it can then be injected into the HPLC which then passes througha column which separates the components of the sample. The time taken and peak area obtained is indicative of the component and quantity.
You would need a carrier gas bottle (Helium) about $800 for a cylinder, the actual HPLC instrumen about $15000 an intergrator and a refernce book to determine each component.
All up a very expensive equipment, even though there are plenty aroun in Universities and colleges as well as other chemical labs.
Maybe i can just ask my teacher if i can test my pill for this weekend... lol