How to detect NBOMes: if you intend to use LSD, you need an LSD test kit to rule out dangerous adulterants such as the NBOMe series. Pure LSD can be laid on any paper or surface and cannot be identified by appearance. To test for NBOMes use the Ehrlich, Hofmann, Marquis and Mecke reagents, available as single-use or multi-use kits. A separate purity test is needed to establish the full composition. To detect fentanyl or its analogues we recommend fentanyl test strips.
A positive or negative test result does not tell you a sample is safe. No substance is 100% safe. Reagents show what is present, not how much of it is there. Around 90% of adulterants react with one reagent in three and 95% with one in five, so use several reagent tests rather than one, and add a purity test when you need the full composition.
What are NBOMes?
The NBOMe series (25I-NBOMe, 25B-NBOMe, 25C-NBOMe and related compounds) are potent phenethylamine psychedelics active in the microgram range. They are frequently sold as LSD because both are distributed on blotter paper, and they have been linked to a substantial number of deaths. Unlike LSD, NBOMes have a narrow margin between an active and a harmful dose, and are not reliably identified by taste, appearance or blotter design.
This is why every blotter worth taking is worth testing: the two substances are visually indistinguishable but behave very differently in the body.
Which test kit do I need to detect NBOMes?
| SAMPLE | RECOMMENDED TESTS |
| LSD / DMT / tryptamines, lysergamides and other indoles |
|
Before you test
- We recommend filming the reaction so you can compare it later.
Step one — testing a blotter, tab or powder
- Cut the smallest possible corner from your blotter, roughly the size of a full stop.
- Place the sample on a suitable surface, ideally a reaction plate or the unglazed base of a ceramic mug. If you are using single-use vials, drop the sample inside and watch, because the reagent is already in the vial.
- Add one or two drops of Ehrlich reagent (or another reagent in your kit) to the sample and wait for the result.
- Compare the result against the reference reaction chart.
How to read an NBOMe test
- Ehrlich is a yes/no test. When testing LSD the exact shade matters less than the fact that a colour appears at all. It turns purple or pink on contact with an indole such as LSD, an LSD analogue or a tryptamine. No 0.5 cm² blotter can hold an active dose of a tryptamine.
- NBOMes do not react. NBOMes and other phenethylamines such as 2C-B produce no colour change with Ehrlich reagent. A blotter that stays colourless is the warning sign.
Step two — testing LSD for adulterants
According to DrugsData.org, LSD blotters almost never contain a second active ingredient. The dangerous substances sold as LSD, notably 25I-NBOMe, do not react with Ehrlich or Hofmann, whereas LSD and other lysergamides do.
Only if your blotter shows no colour change within ten minutes:
- Follow up with Marquis, Mecke or Froehde. These char the paper brown, but when something like DOC is present the liquid itself usually gives a clear green colour change.
- If you suspect the Ehrlich result is a false positive, confirm with Hofmann reagent, which distinguishes LSD from other indoles. It is more specific than Ehrlich but reacts more slowly.
Then choose a purity test kit. Purity tests reveal all adulterants at once, but identifying them still requires reagent tests. To estimate how much of the sample is the expected substance, use the Full PRO Test Kit for Substance Purity.
After the test
- Optional: neutralise the used reagent with a spoonful of baking soda before rinsing. It protects both you and your plumbing.
- Wash the testing surface under running water.
Frequently asked questions
- Bitter blotters. A blotter tasting slightly bitter does not mean it is not acid. Ink can be bitter, and so can many substances. Hofmann himself noted that pure LSD-25 is slightly bitter.
- False positives. If you doubt an Ehrlich result, confirm with Hofmann reagent to separate LSD from other indoles.
- Reaction speed says nothing about quantity or purity. If a result is hard to read, use a slightly larger sample or crush it more finely before testing.
- How many tests are in one kit? A multi-use kit covers up to 100 tests (5 ml) or 200 tests (10 ml); one drop is one test. Single-use kits contain two ampoules, so two tests.
- How do I check the reagent still works? Test any indole and compare it against the chart. 5-HTP is the easiest control sample and turns purple with Ehrlich. Keep the control sample so you can repeat the check later.
All LSD reagent test results
| REAGENT | REACTION WITH LSD |
| EHRLICH | Pink > purple > blue |
| HOFMANN | Blue > navy |
| MARQUIS | No reaction (paper chars) |
| MECKE | No reaction (paper chars) |
| MANDELIN | No reaction (paper chars) |
| LIEBERMANN | No reaction (paper chars) |
| FROEHDE | No reaction (paper chars) |
| SIMON’S | No reaction |
| ROBADOPE | No reaction |
| SCOTT | No complete colour change |
Did the reagent not react as expected? Be careful. Every reference result is listed in our reaction chart.
Where to buy an NBOMe test
- Single-use LSD test kits — the cheapest way to test one blotter.
- Multi-use LSD test kit — four reagents, pennies per test.
- Purity tests — note that these must be used alongside reagents.
- Full PRO Test for Substance Purity and Identification — identification and purity in one kit.
- …or read What is the best drug test? and choose from all available PRO Test kits.
Related guides
This article does not encourage the use of psychoactive substances and does not replace medical advice.