1.2.3 Forensic Toxicology Lab Stations

Water (H2O) Station

For this procedure, water is used as a negative control.

• Add 4-5 drops of distilled water to each well in the row labeled "H2O."

• Stir each well with a clean toothpick.

• Observe any visible signs of reaction in each sample (dissolving, color change, bubbling, etc).

• Record your observations on your data sheet.

pH Station

pH measures the acidity/alkilinity of a substance. A pH of 7 is neutral. The lower a pH, the more acidic the substance is. The higher a pH, the more alkaline the substance is.

• Add 4-5 drops of distilled H2O to each well in the row labeled "pH"

• Then, add 1-2 drops of universal indicator to each wel in the row labeled "pH"

• Stir each well with a clean toothpick.

• Compare the color to the pH test strip provided.

• Record your observations on your data sheet.

Hydrochloric Acid (HCl) Station

In this station, you will observe any reactions that occur when you expose the substance to HCl (hydrochloric acid).

• Add 1-2 drops of HCl to each well in the row labeled "HCl"

• Stir each well with a clean toothpick.

• Observe any visible signs of reaction in each sample (dissolving, color change, bubbling, etc).Record your observations on your data sheet

Ferrous Nitrate (FN) Station

In this station, you will observe any reactions that occur when you expose the substance to Ferrous Nitrate (FN) (AKA Iron III Nitrate)

• Add 1-2 drops of Iron (III) nitrate to each well in the row labeled "FN"

• Stir each well with a clean toothpick.

• Observe any visible signs of reaction in each sample (dissolving, color change, bubbling, etc).Record your observations on your data sheet