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Ketamine Powder (A - BADS1)
Sold as: Ketamine
ID: 3434
Result Photo Detail Photo
ID: 3434
Name: Ketamine Powder
Other Names: A - BADS1
Mandelin:More infoThe Mandelin Test is a reagent field test conducted by placing a drop of liquid reagent onto a sample of the material in question. Mandelin is primarily used for the detection of ketamine and PMA. It is a mixture of ammonium metavanadate and concentrated sulfuric acid. Light Green
Mecke:More infoAs with the Marquis Test, The Mecke Test is a reagent field test conducted by placing a drop of liquid reagent onto a sample of the material in question. Mecke reagent is primarily used for the identification of heroin and other opiates. No Reaction
Marquis:More infoThe Marquis Test is a reagent field test conducted by placing a drop of reagent liquid onto a small sample of the material being tested. The chemicals in the reagent react differently with different chemicals, turning a variety of colors based on the what is in the material being tested. No Reaction
GC/MS:More infoThe GC/MS Lab Test  
Test Date: Jan 12, 2015
Pub. Date: Jan 12, 2015
Src Location: San Francisco, CA
Submitter Loc: San Francisco, CA
United States
Color: White
Size: 200 mg
Data Source: DrugsData (EcstasyData)
Tested by: DDL
Lab's ID: 20150100045
Sold as: Ketamine
Expected to be: Not Specified
Note
Submitter: Sold as ketamine. Sample was submitted by the San Francisco DanceSafe chapter because the expected ketamine had a green reaction to the Mandelin reagent instead of the expected reddish/brown/orange color.
Note
Erowid Note: We've been working on this for the last couple weeks trying to sort out why the ketamine has a green reaction to the Mandelin. We initially established that the Mandelin reagent appears to be good by testing the same bottle against known samples. Mandelin reagent from DanceSafe is good.

Lab did deeper analysis and re-analyzed both ketamine samples from this week and did Selected Ion Monitoring (SIM) and looked at all of the possible bumps in the GC. Nothing obvious.

Current theories include:

1) A mineral or other simple molecule or atom that alters mandelin reaction and overwhelms or blocks the normal ketamine reaction.

2) That a different salt or isomer of ketamine reacts differently than the normal Ketamine HCl that dominates the ketamine market.

We are working to try to narrow down the possibilities. At this point (Jan 22 2015), we are not sure why this sample is showing up green with Mandelin, but all indications are that it is ketamine.
Note
Our lab has continued to dig into this green-Mandelin color ketamine sample. They reanalyzed it for any trace level of acetaminophen, but didn't find any. The lab did, however, find a strong match at a very low trace level for methylparaben (although it was not 100% certain match for methylparaben).

It is possible that the ketamine had a small amount of methylparaben in it that caused the green reaction with the mandelin, but this is not a very satisfactory answer.

As of Feb 10, 2015, we have only one last hope for figuring this out, but we've already spent a lot of time and energy on this question and don't know.

One major argument made by one of the field test team from DanceSafe is that the mandelin reagent ages quickly and does not react as clearly. We don't feel this is an adequate explanation, since the same bottle of mandelin reacted clearly with other ketamine samples on the same day and the color test was re-run several times.

It's a puzzle.