Confirmatory tests are used to confirm the presence of a substance or condition that was detected through a presumptive test. Confirmatory tests are typically more accurate and specific than presumptive tests and are designed to conclusively identify the presence of a particular substance.
Some common types of confirmatory tests used in forensic science include:
- Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS): This is a highly sensitive and specific analytical technique that can be used to identify the chemical composition of a substance. It involves separating the components of a sample using gas chromatography and then analyzing them using mass spectrometry.
- Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS): This technique is similar to GC-MS but uses liquid chromatography to separate the components of a sample before analysis using mass spectrometry.
- High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC): This is a powerful separation technique that can be used to separate and identify different components of a sample based on their chemical properties.
- Infrared spectroscopy (IR): This technique uses infrared radiation to analyze the chemical composition of a sample. It can be used to identify functional groups and other molecular features of a substance.
Confirmatory tests are important in forensic science because they provide definitive evidence that can be used in court. They are also critical for ensuring that innocent individuals are not wrongly accused of a crime based on false positive results from presumptive tests.