Description

How does the Kit work?

Our Psilocybin Purity Test Kit consists of a modified Hofmann reagent and an aqueous extraction fluid containing citric and ascorbic acid. Grind your dried mushrooms in a coffee grinder or else chop them up finely with a knife, then put 150 mg into the extraction vial. The citric acid breaks down fungal cell walls and helps pull out the psilocybin and psilocin. The ascorbic acid acts as an antioxidant to prevent the breakdown of the alkaloids. After ten minutes the extraction is complete.

Use the syringe and cotton pellet to draw out 1 ml of the solution and inject it into the reaction vial. Incubate the vial in a hot water bath for fifteen minutes, then compare the color of the liquid in the vial to the enclosed color chart. The intensity of the color reaction is determined by the amount of psilocybin and psilocin in the vial.

Note: This is just a basic outline. Make sure and read the full instructions below. And if you have any questions whatsoever, don’t hesitate to call or email us anytime.

What do the colors look like?

Here is a photo of five reactions spanning from 0.5% to 2.0% psilocybin. The detectable range is wider than shown here. See the color chart for the full range, and remember to always use the printed chart to evaluate the result. Digital screens all render colors differently.

Psilocybin Purity Test Kit Instructions

SAFETY INFORMATION – READ THIS FIRST!

1. The glass vial contains a modified version of Hofmann reagent, which contains sulfuric acid and can severely burn the skin and eyes. So put on the nitrile gloves and remove any contact lenses. We recommend wearing safety goggles. Accidents can happen anytime, so safety first!

2. Should any liquids make contact with your skin, rinse the affected area with water for several minutes. If liquid gets in your eyes, immediately rinse with water for several minutes keeping your upper and lower eyelids open.

3. Store the kit away from children, and lock up your pets (especially cats) before performing the test.

4. When the test is over, follow the instructions below for disposing of the liquids. DO NOT simply throw the vials in the trash with the liquid inside.

SOME IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW

1. There are many species of psychedelic mushrooms. Make sure you have accurately identified them before using this kit. This kit cannot be used to distinguish poisonous from non-poisonous mushrooms.

2. The kit actually detects both psilocybin and psilocin. Both are active ingredients in psychedelic mushrooms, and the final color reflects a combination. In the name we only use the word psilocybin because this is the most well known alkaloid, but rest assured it detects both.

3. You should homogenize your batch of dried mushrooms before you perform the test. That means either grind them up in a coffee grinder or chop and mix them finely with a knife. You will then test just a very small amount of the homogenized material, and the result will apply to the entire batch. If you don’t homogenize your mushrooms first, then the result may not be totally accurate for the remaining non-homogenized material. This is because psilocybin is not uniformly distributed within any given batch.

4. Use the Psilocybin purity test kit at room temperature. If stored in a refrigerator, let it warm up for one hour.

3. Perform the test during the day or else use a very bright, full spectrum overhead light.

4. Some people see colors differently than the average person. So it’s always best to have a few other people evaluate the result with you. You will need to hold a white piece of paper about six inches behind the vial.

5. Read all the instructions at least once through before beginning the test.

STEP 1 – PREPARE THE MUSHROOMS

1. Homogenize the batch of dried mushrooms you want to test. It’s best to use a coffee grinder. If you don’t have one you can chop them up with a knife instead. But chop them up finely. Poorly chopped mushrooms can sometimes show a slightly lower result (about 1%) due to less alkaloid extraction. (For a detailed discussion on mushroom alkaloid extraction, see our advanced FAQ.)

2. Put the weigh boat on a milligram scale and weigh out 150 mg (0.150 grams) of your ground mushrooms. For concentrated extracts, use a proportionally lower amount (so that the results fit into the range of the color chart). For example, weigh out 75 mg for a 2X extract, 15 mg for a 10X extract, etc. (You will then need to multiply by the same factor at the end. This will be explained later.)

Weigh out 150 mg (0.150 grams) of your ground, dried mushrooms.

STEP 2 – EXTRACT THE ALKALOIDS

Squeeze the weigh boat diagonally and pour the mushroom material into the plastic vial. Screw the lid back on and shake the vial for approximately ten seconds. Let it rest for about 10 minutes, shaking it a few more times during the resting period.

Squeezing the weigh boat makes for an easy pour.

STEP 3 – FILL THE SYRINGE WITH LIQUID

1. Use the syringe and a cotton pellet to draw out the liquid. First, screw the blunt needle tip into the top of the syringe, then put a cotton pellet into the extraction vial.

2. Insert the syringe into the vial and press the slanted edge of the blunt tip needle into the cotton pellet along the bottom edge of the vial.

Press firmly into the cotton pellet.

This image shows the orientation of the blunt needle tip and cotton pellet. But press more firmly than shown here.

3. Now draw up and fill the syringe completely with liquid (as much as will fit). If no liquid comes up, you’re pressing too hard into the cotton pellet. You basically want medium pressure. The water should flow through slowly and easily with no visible mushroom particles. You may see some small bubbles, however. This is just the air that was inside the needle tip.

4. When the syringe is as full as it’s going to get, remove it and screw the cap back on the extraction vial.

STEP 4 – PREPARE THE SYRINGE WITH EXACTLY 1.0 ML OF LIQUID

This is an important step. You need to get the air out of the syringe and then push some of the liquid out so you have exactly 1.0 ml left. Here’s how to do it:

1. Point the syringe upward and hold it near the top (around where the blunt needle is attached), then tap or flick it near the bottom to get the air to float upward. (Yes, just like you see in the movies.)

2. Keep tapping until all the air is gone from the bottom of the syringe.

3. The air is now at the top of the syringe, so gently push the plunger up to eject it out. Some liquid may drip out and down the side of the syringe. No worries. It’s just water with citric acid and ascorbic acid (and mushroom alkaloids).

4. Slowly and gently push up until you have exactly 1.0 ml left in the syringe. That’s an almost full syringe. You won’t need to push very far, so don’t confuse it with 0.1 ml mark. Pay attention so that the 1.0 ml line on the barrel of the syringe is lined up with the top of the base of the plunger.

STEP 5 – INJECT THE LIQUID INTO THE GLASS VIAL

1. Poke the needle through the septum on top of the reaction vial and push all the liquid in. The liquid inside the vial may turn a bit greenish-blue.

STEP 6 – INCUBATE THE GLASS VIAL IN A HOT WATER BATH

1. On your stove top, bring to boil about four cups of water in a pot. (Do not use a kettle.) Once it’s boiling remove it from the burner. It is now the right temperature to begin the incubation.

2. Using a pair of kitchen tongs, immediately place the glass vial into the hot water. Make sure the water level is lower than the top of the vial, but at least half-way up the glass. If there’s too much water in the pot, pour some out. If there’s not enough, add more and bring it to a full boil once again, then repeat this step.

3. Put a lid on the pot, then set a timer for fifteen minutes and wait.

STEP 7 – EVALUATE THE RESULT

1. After 15 minutes remove the vial from the water bath and evaluate the color of the liquid with the enclosed color chart. You have some time to make the evaluation, but don’t wait too long. The color will tend to darken over a number of hours.

2. In daylight or under a very bright, full spectrum light, hold the reaction vial next to the color chart. You should also hold a white piece of paper about six to eight inches behind the vial. (Yes, we realize this requires three hands, so have someone help you.)

3. Compare the color of the liquid in the vial to the color chart. The color bars on the chart correspond to the combined amount of psilocybin and psilocin per gram in your homogenized material.

4. For extracts, you need to multiply by the same factor that you reduced your starting material at the beginning of the process. For example, if you tested a 2X extract and reduced your starting material by a factor of two (75 mg instead of 150 mg), then you need to multiply by two to obtain the correct result. Similarly, if you tested a 10X extract (using 15 mg), you will need to multiply by ten.

STEP 8 -DISPOSING OF THE LIQUIDS

This is an important step. We’re going to explain how to safely and legally dispose of the chemicals. It’s not difficult, so please follow the instructions.

1. Concerning the reaction vial, DO NOT pour it directly down the drain. You need to dilute the Hofmann reagent in water first as described below. Alternatively, you can store the vial in an empty, dry, plastic container (like a water bottle, yogurt container or milk jug) and take it to your local hazardous waste disposal site. Just make sure the plastic container you store it in is dry, because once you’ve punctured the septum cap the reagent might leak out over time and react with liquids.

2. To safely dilute the reagent, fill a bucket or large container with a gallon of water and go outside.

3. Once outside, put on the nitrile gloves and safety goggles.

4. Unscrew the aluminum septum cap from the reaction vial and slowly pour the Hofmann reagent into the water, holding the vial a few inches from the surface of the water. If you pour it from too high above, the acid can splash up and hit you.

5. Once you have poured out all the Hofmann reagent, put the cap back on the vial and throw it in the trash.

6. Now you can pour the bucket of water down the drain safely. Do not pour it on the ground.

7. Concerning the plastic extraction vial, you can simply pour it down the drain or throw it in the trash.

STORAGE AND SHELF LIFE

The Psilocybin purity test kit should be stored in a refrigerator and should last well over a year. Right now (as of May 2025) we know for sure it will last at least three months. (We are still monitoring and testing.) Always store the kit out of reach of children.

WARNINGS AND DISCLAIMERS

1. The Psilocybin purity test kit cannot distinguish poisonous from non-poisonous mushrooms. Do not try to use this kit as a mushroom identification kit.
2. The result does not mean your sample is safe to consume. No drug use is 100% safe.
3. PurityTestKits.com and HRDS LLC assume no responsibility for the use or misuse of the test kit or the results.