SOFT 2004 Meeting Abstracts - Society of Forensic Toxicologists

F2
URINE ADUL TERA TION TRENDS FROM 2001-2003
David J. Kuntz*, Chuck Jones, Kris Botelho, and Michael Feldman. Northwest Toxicology, a division of
LabOne Inc., Salt Lake City, UT 84124,
The use of urine adulterant products to defeat a urine drug test has become an increasingly important issue
for the federal and private drug testing programs. Initially, adulteration products were common household
chemicals. In approximately 1990, the first of designed adulterants appeared as Urine Luck containing
glutaraldehyde. Nitrite quickly followed once the detection of glutaraldehyde was established. Since that
time a number of products have evolved with chromium VI, iodine, iodate, and fluoride as the primary
purchased adulterants. And another disturbing trend in the increase in the number of substituted and
invalid specimens reported by the laboratory. These specimens indicate the increased use of excessive
hydration to lower urine levels of drugs of abuse or in the case of invalid specimens, the use of an
unidentified adulterant.
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The analysis of adulteration trends includes only specimens tested by Northwest Toxicology during the
period of2001-2003. The total number ofspecimens during each year was approximately 600,000 samples
per year. Each specimen tested by the laboratory receives an analysis for creatinine (specific gravity if
creatinine is less than 20 mg/dL), pH, and adulterants. During 2001-2002, the adulterant test was an
analysis for nitrite and chromium. In 2003, the nitrite and chromium tests were replaced by a general
oxidant test. The analysis of the data for the three year period reveals several significant trends in specimen
validity testing (SVT). The number of specimens reported as substituted or invalid has more than doubled
from 2001 to 2003 while chromiumVI positive specimens have been reduced by 75%. Nitrite positive
specimens have been reduced by 20% with unexpected increases in bleach and abnormal pH specimens.
Iodine and iodate analysis began in 2002 and has quickly become the number one detected adulterant by
the laboratory. Fluoride is frequently encountered when iodate is also present.
2001 2002 2003
Substituted 136 192 248
Unsuitllnv 202 248 442
Nitrites 98 88 77
Chromium 241 102 58
Bleach 5 30 20
Soap 1 3 ]
pH 48 72 97
Iodinellodate NA 30 105
Fluoride NA NA 9
Glutaraldehyde 0 0 1
0.12% 0.13% 0.16%
The number of adulterated specimens clearly indicates that the routine testing for a single adulterant, such
as nitrite, will not detect the majority ofadulterated samples and that a comprehensive SVT program must
be developed for the identification ofthese specimens.
Keywords: Specimen validity testing, adulteration, nitrite, chromium
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