Illicit drug detection using energy dispersive x-ray diffraction

E. J. Cook; J. A. Griffiths; M. Koutalonis; C. Gent; S. Pani; J. A. Horrocks; L. George; S. Hardwick; R. Speller

doi:10.1117/12.819132

30 April 2009 Illicit drug detection using energy dispersive x-ray diffraction

E. J. Cook, J. A. Griffiths, M. Koutalonis, C. Gent, S. Pani, J. A. Horrocks, L. George, S. Hardwick, R. Speller

Proceedings Volume 7310, Non-Intrusive Inspection Technologies II; 73100I (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.819132
Event: SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing, 2009, Orlando, Florida, United States

Abstract

Illicit drugs are imported into countries in myriad ways, including via the postal system and courier services. An automated system is required to detect drugs in parcels for which X-ray diffraction is a suitable technique as it is non-destructive, material specific and uses X-rays of sufficiently high energy to penetrate parcels containing a range of attenuating materials. A database has been constructed containing the measured powder diffraction profiles of several thousand materials likely to be found in parcels. These include drugs, cutting agents, packaging and other innocuous materials. A software model has been developed using these data to predict the diffraction profiles which would be obtained by X-ray diffraction systems with a range of suggested detector (high purity germanium, CZT and scintillation), source and collimation options. The aim of the model was to identify the most promising system geometries, which was done with the aid of multivariate analysis (MVA). The most promising systems were constructed and tested. The diffraction profiles of a range of materials have been measured and used to both validate the model and to identify the presence of drugs in sample packages.

Citation Download Citation

E. J. Cook, J. A. Griffiths, M. Koutalonis, C. Gent, S. Pani, J. A. Horrocks, L. George, S. Hardwick, and R. Speller "Illicit drug detection using energy dispersive x-ray diffraction", Proc. SPIE 7310, Non-Intrusive Inspection Technologies II, 73100I (30 April 2009); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.819132

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