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High temperature pressure reaction vessels in illicit drug labs.
By: David Moline (President, Minnesota Safety Training, Inc.) Email address: msti@qwest.net
Introduction: This article has been written to raise the hazard awareness of fire, law enforcement, county, or other individuals who may unknowingly enter a clandestine drug lab during operation. Also, medical providers should recognize that a person being treated for molten solder burns, outside of an industrial incident, was most likely injured in a clandestine drug lab accident. As with all of the articles written by this author, certain procedural steps and other information have been purposefully omitted so that the information provided on our web site can not be used to manufacture illegal drugs. However, the basic chemicals, production methods, and associated hazards are provided for informational purposes. Being knowledgeable of the manufacturing processes is important to fully recognize the associated hazards of the various clandestine drug lab production methods.
With the stringent control of many precursor chemicals, including ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, the clandestine chemists are now employing ways to manufacture the precursors needed to produce methamphetamine, MDA, and MDMA. One piece of equipment currently being utilized, and becoming increasingly popular, is the use of homemade high temperature pressure reaction vessels.
The reaction vessel is simply a steel pipe that is treaded on both ends. A steel cap is screwed onto one end, the reaction solution placed within the pipe, and a second cap is tightened on the other end to seal the mixture inside. The "pipe bomb" is then immersed in molten solder and the contents are allowed to cook for several hours. Molten solder is used in this heating bath because it conducts heat evenly over the surface of the vessel, is easier to maintain a constant temperature, and will not boil away like a water or oil bath.
Manufacturing process:
The following examples outline some of the basic production methods that use a high temperature pressure reaction vessel:
Example #1: Phenylacetic acid from ethyl benzene 1. A mixture of water, ethyl benzene (industrial solvent), sodium dichromate (metal plating chemical) is sealed within the pipe. 2. The pipe is immersed in the molten solder bath. 3. After cooking, the pipe is removed from the solder and the reaction solution (sodium salt of phenylacetic acid) is then poured into a container and filtered.
4. Sulfuric acid is mixed with the reaction solution to convert the sodium salt of phenylacetic acid into phenylacetic acid. 5. The product is then extracted with toluene and processed further to form phenylacetone. 6. The phenylacetone is mixed with methylamine and reduced to produce methamphetamine.
Example #2: Methylamine hydrochloride from methyl alcohol 1. A mixture of methanol, ammonium chloride, water, and ferric chloride is sealed within the pipe. 2. The pipe is immersed in the molten solder bath. 3. After cooking, the pipe is removed from the solder and the reaction solution (methylamine hydrochloride) is then poured into a container and filtered. 4. The methylamine hydrochloride crystals are collected and mixed with 190 proof vodka. 5. The reaction solution is then heated and filtered to yield pure crystals of methylamine. 6. The methylamine is mixed with phenylacetone and the mixture is reduced to methamphetamine.
Example #3: MDA from Bromosafrole 1. Several simple clandestine recipes exist for producing bromosafrole from sassafras oil. 2. One of the recipes involves reacting the safrole with hydrobromic acid to form the bromo derivative. 3. This derivative is then mixed with ammonia saturated isopropyl alcohol and sealed within the pipe. 4. The pipe is immersed in the molten solder bath and cooked under high temperature/pressure. 5. After cooking, the pipe is removed from the solder bath and the reaction solution is emptied into a container for further processing. 6. The final product is MDA.
Recognition: The production examples provided in this article include the use of various equipment normally found in clandestine drug labs, however, what these three methods have in common is the use of a solder bath and a capped steel pipe, which should be readily apparent to a knowledgeable individual.
Discussion: The manufacturing processes outlined in this article are good examples of production methods that do not use ephedrine or pseudoephedrine containing cold tablets as precursors. Additionally, as the restrictions for purchasing over the counter cold medications become more stringent, this author believes that it will become common place for the future clandestine chemist to employ the use of a high temperature pressure reaction vessel, and other types of production methods, for illicit drug production.
Hazards: As with most illicit drug labs, individuals enter the location may be exposed or come into contact with corrosives, flammables and airborne toxic materials depending on the production method being used. The primary hazard that should be emphasized, is the failure of the reaction vessel (pipe) which generates several hundred pounds (pressure per square inch) of internal pressure during the cooking process. For this reason, it should be assumed that the vessel may detonate at any time. If this occurs, individuals within the room may be exposed to flying shrapnel from the pipe and most importantly, flying molten solder which could create serious burns, disfigurement, or death. Also, most emergency responders are aware of the hazards associated when you have a pressurized boiling flammable liquid which could result in a boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion (bleve). If you enter a lab that is using this method of production, you should assume that the reaction vessel may detonate at any time. It's not a question of "if", it's a question of "when". Another consideration for the responders, and others, who disassemble the labs may be evaluating the adequacy of their chemically protective clothing for protection against a molten metal splash. Additional articles of interest can be found at www.minnsafety.com. |
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