The Mandelin reagent is used as a simple spot-test to presumptively identify
alkaloids
Alkaloids are a broad class of naturally occurring organic compounds that contain at least one nitrogen atom. Some synthetic compounds of similar structure may also be termed alkaloids.
Alkaloids are produced by a large variety of organisms i ...
as well as other compounds. It is composed of a mixture of
ammonium metavanadate and concentrated
sulfuric acid
Sulfuric acid (American spelling and the preferred IUPAC name) or sulphuric acid (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth spelling), known in antiquity as oil of vitriol, is a mineral acid composed of the elements sulfur, oxygen, ...
. Its primary use is for the detection of
ketamine
Ketamine is a cyclohexanone-derived general anesthetic and NMDA receptor antagonist with analgesic and hallucinogenic properties, used medically for anesthesia, depression, and pain management. Ketamine exists as its S- (esketamine) a ...
and
PMA Unlike the most common reagent test chemicals, it has a deep red colour that changes to yellow if there is no alkaloid, which occurs within about 48 hours of mixing.
The
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a United States federal executive departments, federal executive department of the U.S. government that oversees the domestic enforcement of Law of the Unite ...
method for producing the reagent is the addition of 100 mL of concentrated (95–98%) sulfuric acid to 0.5
-1 g of ammonium metavanadate.
This reagent was invented by the German pharmacologist, Karl Friedrich Mandelin (1854–1906) at the
University of Dorpat
The University of Tartu (UT; ; ) is a public research university located in the city of Tartu, Estonia. It is the national university of Estonia. It is also the largest and oldest university in the country. .
See also
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Drug checking
Drug checking or pill testing is a way to Harm reduction, reduce the harm from drug consumption by allowing users to find out the content and purity of substances that they intend to consume. This enables users to make safer choices: to avoid more ...
*
Dille–Koppanyi reagent
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Folin's reagent
Folin's reagent or sodium 1,2-naphthoquinone-4-sulfonate is a chemical reagent used as a derivatizing agent to measure levels of amines and amino acids. The reagent reacts with them in alkaline solution to produce a fluorescent material that can ...
*
Froehde reagent
*
Liebermann reagent
*
Marquis reagent
*
Mecke reagent
*
Simon's reagent
*
Zwikker reagent
References
Chemical tests
Analytical reagents
Drug testing reagents
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