SOFT 2004 Meeting Abstracts - Society of Forensic Toxicologists

A44
SCREENING OF CANNABINOIDS, BENZOYLECGONINE AND OPIATES IN WHOLE BLOOD
AND URINE USING EMIT II PLUS IMMUNOASSAY AND KONELAB 30
K. Wiese Simonsen*, N. Christiansen, I. Breum MUller, Department of Forensic Chemistry; University of
Copenhagen; Denmark
Aims: To present a full validated simple and automatic method for screening of cannabinoids,
benzoylecgonine and opiates in whole blood and urine for routine use.
Methods: Blood samples were extracted with acetone before analysis. Urine samples were automatically
diluted 5 times. EMIT II Plus calibrator levell, 2,3 and 5 were used for calibration. The analysis was done
with EMIT II PLUS reagents (cannabinoids, cocaine metabolite and opiate assays) on a Konelab 30
instrument at 340 nm.
Results: Cut offs in blood and urine are respectively: cannabinoids: 0.0045 mglkg (blood) and 0.050 mg/kg
(urine); benzoylecgonine: 0.015 mg/kg (blood) and 0.300 mglkg (urine); morphine: 0.020 mg/kg (blood)
and 0.300 mg/kg (urine). Within day precisions for blood controls spiked at cut off were 5-10%
(cannabinoids), 10% (benzoylecgonine) and 5-10% (morphine) (n=10). Between day precisions were 6%
(cannabinoids), 18% (benzoylecgonine) and 12% (morphine) (n=7). Sensitivity was 100% (cannabinoids),
93% (benzoyJecgonine) and 97% (opiates). Specificity was 86% (cannabinoids), 99% (benzoylecgonine)
and 95% (opiates).
Conclusion: A validated method has been described. The method is precise, robust and useful for screening
of cannabinoids, benzoylecgonine and opiates in whole blood and urine.
Keywords: Cannabinoids, Benzoylecgonine and opiates, EMIT II Plus immunoassay
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