FORENSIC TOXICOLOGY - Bio Medical Forensics

Results: The Intercept® device collected an average of 0.55 mL in
the 3 minutes recommended by the manufacturer. The Certus device
has a built-in indicator and we collected an average of 1.15 mL in an
average time of 1.67 minutes. The OF pH was not affected for either
collection device. Presumptive positive Intercept®/Orasure samples
were observed for amphetamine, methamphetamine and cocaine
following consumption of all types of vinegar. Most presumptive
positives were seen at the early time points although a significant number
we also observed out to 30 minutes. The screen positives were submitted
for GC/MS confirmation and found to be confirmation negative – screen
false positives. There was also a depression of the binding for
Intercept®/Orasure samples for opiate and methadone assays although
this was not enough to trigger a positive response against the kit cut off.
By comparison the Certus /Concateno samples were negative for all
vinegar types and time points.
Conclusion: The Orasure Intercept® OF collection device
exhibited many OF false positive after the consumption of various types
of vinegar. There was no significant difference between collection times,
pH, or volume collected. False positive samples out to 30 minutes were
a surprising observation. The Concateno Certus OF collection device
was shown to collect larger volumes of fluid, more consistently, in a
shorter time frame. All of the Certus screens were negative.
Oral fluid drug testing is increasing in popularity in forensic,
clinical, and workplace scenarios. In order to avoid potential
miscarriages of justice or misinterpretation of results, it is essential that
any tests employed for human oral fluid drug screening should provide
results that are accurate. Personnel using oral fluid drug testing devices
should be aware of possible interactions that could provide false positive
results. This presentation highlights the potential for false positive
screening results that may be observed following the collection of oral
fluid after the use of certain food types.
Oral Fluid, Concateno, Orasure
K40 Drugs and Driving Special Scientific
Session: Current Research Related to
Drug-Impaired Driving
Laura J. Liddicoat, BS, Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene, Forensic
Toxicology Section, 2601 Agriculture Drive, Madison, WI 53707-7996;
Christine Moore, PhD*, Immunalysis Corporation, 829 Towne Center
Drive, Pomona, CA 91767; Alain Verstraete, MD*, University Ghent, UZ
Gent, De Pintelaan 185, Gent, B-9000, BELGIUM; James P. Zacny,
PhD*, University of Chicago, Department of Anesthesia & Critical Care
MC4028, University of Chicago, 5841 South Maryland Avenue, Chicago,
IL 60637; and Amy K. Miles, BS*, Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene,
2601 Agriculture Drive, PO Box 7996, Madison, WI 53707-7996
After attending this presentation, attendees will have a greater
understanding of the prevalence of drug use in drivers and the latest
research findings in the area of drug-impaired driving.
This presentation will impact the forensic science community by
enhancing the understanding of the extent of the drug-impaired driving
problem and providing specific research findings related to several
drugs’ effects on the skills required to safely operate a motor vehicle.
Introduction: A large proportion of the population habitually
drives while taking medical and/or recreational drugs. This special
session will provide information on several research aspects of drug
impairment including surveys that reveal the prevalence of drugs in
United States and European drivers, how drugs may be categorized by
the impairment they cause, recent research findings for specific drugs
using psychopharmacological tests and a drugged-driving case study
involving Tizanidine with assessment by a drug recognition officer.
Topics Include: “National Roadside Survey 2007: Results from
Paired Specimens of Oral Fluid and Whole Blood,” Christine Moore,
* Presenting Author
PhD. This presentation provides an overview of the results pertinent to
drugs detected in paired oral fluid – blood specimens from the National
Roadside Survey (2007) that was conducted at selected sites across the
United States. From night-time drivers, 5,869 oral fluid samples (OF)
and 3,276 blood samples were taken. Of the paired specimens, 559 pairs
showed at least one matrix as drug positive; 326 pairs were positive in
both matrices.
“DRUID Project: Epidemiology Studies of Drug Prevalence in
Europe,” Alain Verstraete, PhD. Recent epidemiology data from surveys
carried out in the European DRUID (Driving under the Influence of
Drugs, Alcohol and Medicines) project to assess the prevalence of
alcohol and other psychoactive substances in drivers in general traffic
(13 countries) and drivers involved in injury accidents (6 countries) will
be presented.
“DRUID Project: A Classification System for Impairing Drugs,”
Alain Verstraete, PhD.
The classification and labeling of medicinal drugs according to their
influence on driving performance is one of the work goals for DRUID.
Dr. Verstraete will present the latest progress on this difficult task.
“Psychomotor and Mood-Altering Effects of CNS-Active Adjuvant
Drugs Used in Treatment of Chronic Nonmalignant Pain, Alone and in
Combination with Oxycodone in Healthy Volunteers,” James P. Zacny,
PhD. Very few research studies have studied the effects of carisoprodol
or pregabalin on psychomotor abilities. Research on the combination of
different drugs is even harder to find. A battery of
psychopharmacological tests will be detailed along with the results of
those tests on healthy volunteers dosed with carisoprodol and pregabalin,
with and without an oral opioid on board.
“Psychomotor and Mood-Altering Effects of Oxycodone and
Ethanol, Alone and in Combination, in Healthy Volunteers,” James P.
Zacny, PhD. Opioid use in the general population has escalated
dramatically in recent years, and the incidence of opioids detected in
drivers has followed a similar pattern. Dr. Zacny will present the results
of an interaction study involving oxycodone and alcohol in
healthy volunteers.
“Analytical and Interpretation Challenges in a Tizanidine DUID
Case,” Amy Miles, BS. Tizanidine is a short-acting muscle relaxer used
for the treatment of muscle spasticity. In this case history the subject was
stopped for impaired driving. A Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) was
called in approximately an hour later to perform the 12-step evaluation.
Upon completion of the evaluation the DRE was unable to find any
impairment but concluded the subject was impaired at the time of the
stop. The case will be discussed in detail including a review of the
analytical challenges posed by this short-acting drug.
Drugs and Driving, Impairment, Forensic Toxicology
K41 Direct LC/MS/MS Quantification of Plasma
Cannabinoids and Their Glucuronides
David M. Schwope, MS*, National Institute of Heath, NIDA, 251
Bayview Boulevard, Suite 200, Room 05A721, Baltimore, MD 21224;
Karl B. Scheidweiler, PhD, National Institute of Heath, NIDA/IRP, 251
Bayview Boulevard, Suite 200, Room 05A721, Baltimore, MD 21224;
and Marilyn A. Huestis, PhD, Chemistry & Drug Metabolism,
Intramural Research, National Institute of Heath, NIDA, 251 Bayview
Boulevard, Room 05A721, Baltimore, MD 21224
After attending this presentation, attendees will be able to describe
an LC/MS/MS method for the simultaneous identification and
quantification of THC, its Phase I metabolites, 11-hydroxy-THC (11-
OH-THC) and 11-nor-9-carboxy-THC (THCCOOH), other cannabis
constituents, cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabinol (CBN), and its Phase II
metabolites, THC-gluc and THCCOOH-gluc in 0.5 mL human plasma.
This presentation will impact the forensic science community by
offering a novel analytical method for sensitive and specific
22