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Carrier Sources

What's Actually Documented

Transparency note: Most published reagent guides assume powder or blotter — not oils, tinctures, or glycerin. The entries in the testing log marked with carriers other than powder are based on two things: (1) directly documented cases like the Bunk Police propylene glycol study, and (2) general matrix interference science. They are working hypotheses, not confirmed results. This page shows exactly where the data comes from.

Directly Documented — Carrier-Specific

Testing DMT Vape Juice — Propylene Glycol & Vegetable Glycerin Direct

Bunk Police — documented that PG interferes with Mecke; Ehrlich/Hofmann recommended; reactions slower and fainter in carrier

How to Test DMT — Including Vape & Liquid Forms Direct

Bunk Police — practical guide covering carrier interference and which reagents survive it

DMT in Propylene Glycol — Reaction Video Direct

Bunk Police reaction library — visual documentation of reagent color in PG carrier

Using Ehrlich Reagent — Notes on Complex Matrices Direct

DrugCheckingBC / BCCSU (2024) — documents that gelatin and complex matrices cause slow or absent reactions

Community & Forum Documentation

Ehrlich on Psilocybin Tincture — Soft Purple Result Direct

Shroomery forum — community member documents Ehrlich giving soft purple on dried tincture residue; confirms testing on residue rather than direct liquid

Cocaine HCl Reagent Testing — Mandelin No Reaction, Marquis Pale Pink Direct

Bluelight community testing — cocaine HCl gives no reaction with Mandelin; Marquis gives pale peach/pink in 2023–2024 supply rather than the older expected orange-brown

Authoritative Color Reference Charts

DanceSafe Reagent Reaction Updates (2024) Direct

DanceSafe — June 2024 update revising cocaine + Marquis interpretation: pale peach is now expected cocaine result, no longer attributed to levamisole specifically

How to Test Your Drugs With Reagents General

DanceSafe (May 2024) — standard reagent guide; notes ~40 second valid window for most reagent readings

Color Tests for Preliminary Identification of Controlled Substances General

DEA Microgram Journal (2012) — forensic reference documenting fentanyl + Marquis = orange, heroin = purple, and other specific reactions

NARK II Color Identification Chart General

Sirchie — law enforcement field kit chart documenting fentanyl + Mandelin = yellow and other reactions not covered by harm reduction guides

Color Test Reagents/Kits for Preliminary Identification of Drugs General

U.S. Dept. of Justice / NIJ — comprehensive reference for expected colors across all major substances in standard conditions

Colorimetric Reagent Results — DMT-Nexus Wiki General

DMT-Nexus community wiki — documented reagent color results across multiple substances including DMT, LSD, and tryptamines

Cocaine — Scott Test & Adulterant Research

How Does the Scott Test for Cocaine Work? Direct

University of Notre Dame PAD Project — explains the cobalt thiocyanate 3-stage test, blue precipitate, and false positives (levamisole, ketamine, lidocaine)

Clarifying the Chemistry of Cobalt(II) Thiocyanate-Based Tests for Cocaine (2024) Direct

PubMed / Journal of Forensic Sciences — documents which adulterants produce false positives in the Scott test

MDMA Adulterants & Mixture Masking

How to Test MDMA for Purity & Safety Direct

Bunk Police — documents methylone/cathinone Marquis = yellow vs MDMA = black; mixture masking explained

LSD Field Tests: Differentiating LSD from 25I-NBOMe Direct

Erowid — documents that NBOMe compounds give no Ehrlich reaction; LSD gives pink/purple; Ehrlich is the primary NBOMe ruling-out test

Developing Aptamer-Based Colorimetric Opioid Tests General

PMC (2024) — documents that heroin's purple completely masks fentanyl's orange in mixed samples; conventional Marquis fails in complex matrices

Cocaine Adulterant Testing — Liebermann

How to Test Cocaine Safely — Full Protocol Direct

Miraculix Lab — documents Scott + Liebermann multi-reagent protocol; Liebermann for levamisole (green) and phenacetin (dark brown)

Adulterants and Interpretive Challenges in Colorimetric Spot Tests General

Boston University / open.bu.edu — academic study on how adulterants (levamisole, phenacetin, caffeine) affect colorimetric spot test results and what reagents catch them

Ketamine — Morris Reagent

Testing for Ketamine — Avoid These Common Mistakes Direct

Bunk Police — documents Morris reagent as the primary specific test for ketamine (violet/purple), notes why Marquis alone is insufficient

General Matrix Interference Science

How to Use Ehrlich's Reagent to Test LSD Direct

The Level NZ — documents evaporation requirement for liquid LSD before Ehrlich testing; confirms 2–5 min reaction window

A Look at Matrix Effects General

LCGC International — explains how oils, lipids, and complex matrices interfere with colorimetric chemical analysis

Overview of Forensic Drug Testing for Harm Reduction Services General

PMC / NIH — documents why colorimetric tests fail with unusual matrices and what validated alternatives exist

Putting an Ecstasy Test Kit to the Test — Harm Reduction or Harm Induction? General

PubMed (2003) — academic study finding Marquis/Mecke/Simon's lacked sensitivity when used by lay persons; case for multi-reagent approach