Drug Analysis Is The Process Of Determining The Identity, Composition, Quality, And Quantity Of Drug Substances Or Medicinal Products In A Sample. The Sample Is Usually Taken From A Compound, Tablet, Liquid, Or Capsule Form. Drug Analysis Is Used By Pharmaceutical Laboratories To Ensure The Safety And Efficacy Of Medications, To Detect The Presence Of Adulterating Substances, And To Monitor The Levels Of Active Ingredients Within Medicines. Analytical Chemistry Techniques Are Used To Identify Drug Substances And Quantify The Amount Contained In Samples. These Include Liquid Chromatography, Gas Chromatography, Mass Spectrometry, Spectroscopy, And Quantitative Imaging. The Process Of Drug Analysis Begins With Sample Preparation, Which Can Involve Physical Manipulation, Chemical Extraction, And A Range Of Strategies To Reach An Ideal Sample For Analysis. This Process Is Critical For Accurate Results And May Involve Solid Phase Extraction, Accelerated Solvent Extraction, Or Ultrasonic Solvent Extraction. Drug Analysis Also Involves More Specialized Techniques Such As Capillary Electrophoresis Or Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. These Methods Are Used To Qualitatively Or Quantitatively Analyze Sample Components. Drug Analysis Can Also Involve The Use Of Spectrophotometry, A Technique That Measures The Amount Of Light Absorbed By A Substance. This Can Help Determine The Content Of Various Components Within A Sample. Finally, Drug Analysis Can Involve The Use Of Non-Targeted Analysis To Detect Unknown Compounds Within A Sample. Hyphenated Techniques Such As HPLC-MS Are Useful For This Purpose. By Combining Multiple Methods, The Compounds Present In An Unknown Sample Can Be Identified And Quantified. Overall, Drug Analysis Is An Important Process For The Safe And Effective Use Of Medications. Various Analytical Methods And Techniques Are Available To Identify, Quantify, And/Or Detect Unknown Compounds Within A Given Sample. By Combining These Methods, Pharmaceutical Laboratories Can Ensure The Safety And Efficacy Of Drugs Before They Are Used In Pharmaceutical And Other Health Care Settings.