title: Ultraviolet spectrophotometric analysis of barbiturates. Current assessment as an emergency screening procedure.
abstract: Several laboratory methods are currently available for the detection of barbiturates, but few are suitable for emergency use, The  authors evaluated use of an ultraviolet spectrophotometric method as a screening procedure and compared the results with results obtained by other barbiturate methods (colorimetric, gas-liquid chromatographic, and immunochemical), Procedure time was approximately 40 minutes, sensitivity 0.2 mg/dl, precision (coefficient of variation) 5.4%, recovery 97.8% for phenobarbital, and there was good correlation with results obtained by gas-liquid chromatography and the EMIT system for phenobarbital. The authors recommend ultraviolet spectrophotometry as an excellent screening procedure for assessing the severity of barbiturate intoxication.
mesh_terms: D001463:Barbiturates / Q000506:poisoning*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D003124:Colorimetry; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001463:Barbiturates; D010634:Phenobarbital