Forensics Identification as an Organic Chemistry Lab

To make the organic chemistry lab apply to the real world, we created a forensics lab in organic chemistry. This lab used qualitative tests to identify the substances. This lab was separated into three sections - testing urine, blood, and drugs. For the urine experiment, the three samples were urine, urine + sugar, and urine + ketone. These liquids were tested with Benedict’s solution and 2,4-dinitro­phenylhydrazine. The students tested for real and fake blood using hydrogen peroxide. The last series of experiments were to test powders and identify these powders as cocaine, ecstasy, gamma-hydroxy butyrate, and ketamine. The powders were tested with acetyl chloride, sodium bicarbonate, and 2,4-dinitro­phenylhydrazine to determine the identity of each compound. The students really enjoyed this lab, as it applied the tests used in a previous qualitative organic chemistry lab to real life.