About 22,000 samples of oral fluid have been collected in five population studies in Norway using either the Intercept or Statsure oral fluid sampling devices. The prevalence of alcohol and drugs was found to be higher in oral fluid samples with small volumes than in those with large volumes for both sampling devices; the largest differences were observed for tetrahydrocannabinol, alcohol, amph...

Although urine analysis remains the standard for detection of drugs of abuse, sweat patches provide a convenient alternative that avoids some of the problems with drug testing such as violations of privacy in observed urination, possibility of disease transmission, and transport of noxious fluids. This study examined minimum length of wear necessary to detect recent or concurrent cocaine use in...

The presence of illicit drugs and their metabolites in surface waters has to be considered a new type of hazard, still unknown, for both the human health and the aquatic ecosystem, due to the potent pharmacological activities of all the illicit drugs. Our research was aimed at evaluating the presence of illicit drugs in the Sarno River (Campania region, Italy), crossing a densely populated area...

Cocaine abuse has been reported to result in QT prolongation in humans; however, the mechanisms underlying this effect are still poorly understood. In this study we compared the direct effects of cocaine and its major metabolites in human embryonic kidney 293 cells stably transfected with human ether-a-go-go-related gene (HERG). Cocaine blocked HERG-encoded potassium channels with an IC50 of 4....

This study investigates the binding kinetics of immobilized antibody in a solid-phase displacement immunosensor conducted in flow under nonequilibrium conditions. The experimental system studied employs a monoclonal antibody, specific for cocaine and its metabolite, benzoylecgonine, immobilized onto agarose beads. After saturation of antibody binding sites with the ftuorophore-labeled antigen, ...

We review the status of radioimmunoassays for detection of abused drugs. Individual assays with use of 125I-labeled antigens are all performed in an identical manner and can be completed in 30 min to 1 h. Combined assays for simultaneous detection of two or more such drugs or assays in which a tritium-labeled antigen is used require 1-2 h for completion. All tests can be performed with 0.1 ml o...

A rapid, simple, and sensitive electrospray LC/MS method has been developed for the quantitative analysis of cocaine and benzoylecgonine in urine using electrospray with the Agilent 1100 LC/MSD system. Urine samples were extracted using solid phase extraction cartridges, and the drug and metabolite were analyzed without derivatization using an isocratic separation and selected ion monitoring (S...

Latent fingerprints provide a potential route to the secure, high throughput and non-invasive detection of drugs of abuse. In this study we show for the first time that the excreted metabolites of drugs of abuse can be detected in fingerprints using ambient mass spectrometry. Fingerprints and oral fluid were taken from patients attending a drug and alcohol treatment service. Gas chromatography ...

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) is emerging as a valuable analytical technique for use as an alternative to conventional solid-phase (SPE) and liquid-liquid extraction techniques. It is a relatively new technique based on the use of supercritical fluids for the isolation of analytes from various matrices and is attracting great interest because of the increasing need for a simple, rapid, e...

One way of monitoring the effectiveness of a treatment for cocaine addiction is to analyze a patient’s urine at regular intervals for benzoylecgonine (BE), the major metabolite of cocaine. Total absence of BE from the urine indicates that the patient has stopped using cocaine, while a significant reduction in the urinary concentration of BE indicates that the patient is using less cocaine, and ...