Linking Fentanyl Seizures Using Difference Raman Spectroscopy and Automated Visible Imaging

The synthetic opioid crisis, fueled by substances like fentanyl, presents significant challenges for law enforcement and public safety. Pendar Technologies proposes to address this issue by developing advanced analytical tools and a centralized data platform to link seized drug samples sharing similar sources. Leveraging the Pendar X10 handheld Raman spectrometer and the Pendar XM automated portable Raman microscope, this effort will establish a framework for real-time field analysis and drug sample attribution. The project focuses on integrating Difference Raman Spectroscopy with automated image analysis to generate "drug fingerprints," which capture both chemical and physical characteristics of seized samples. These fingerprints will populate a dynamic database, enabling the identification of clusters and patterns linked to manufacturing routes, precursors, and distribution networks. Phase I will characterize variability in fentanyl samples synthesized via different routes or processed following different formulations, using both macro- and micro-scale analysis. Raman spectroscopy will identify bulk chemical components and detailed particle-specific composition, while automated imaging will capture visual features such as pill size, shape, and logos as well as statistics on particle size, shape and color distributions. A data analytics framework will be developed to use these multi-modal fingerprints to link samples with a shared source based on similarities in measurable attributes. The anticipated outcome is a scalable, field-ready system capable of generating actionable intelligence to disrupt illicit drug networks. Beyond law enforcement, the technology has potential applications in pharmaceutical supply chain monitoring, counterfeit detection, and quality assurance in chemical manufacturing.