A B S T R A C T
The Simon presumptive color test was used in combination with the built-in digital camera on a mobile
phone to detect methamphetamine. The real-time Red-Green-Blue (RGB) basic color data was obtained
using an application installed on the mobile phone and the relationship profile between RGB intensity,
including other calculated values, and the colourimetric product was investigated. A wide linear range
(0.1–2.5 mg mL1
) and a low detection limit (0.0110 0.0001–0.044 0.002 mg mL1
) were achieved.
The method also required a small sample size (20 mL). The results obtained from the analysis of illicit
methamphetamine tablets were comparable to values obtained from gas chromatograph-flame ionization
detector (GC-FID) analysis. Method validation indicated good intra- and inter-day precision (2.27–4.49%RSD
and 2.65–5.62%RSD, respectively). The results suggest that this is a powerful real-time mobile method with
the potential to be applied in field test