Classification of ecstasy tablets using trace metal analysis with the application of chemometric procedures and artificial neural network algorithms

Abstract

This work is concerned with an investigation into the practicalities of using ICP-MS data obtained from the analysis of ecstasy tablets to provide linkage information from seizure to seizure. The generated data was analysed using different statistical techniques, namely principal component analysis, Hierarchical clustering and artificial neural networks. The relative merits of these different techniques are discussed.