title: The storage of forensic urine drug specimens as dry stains: recovery and stability.
abstract: The feasibility of storing forensic urine drug specimens as dry stains on Whatman #3 paper was studied by evaluating the stability of the drugs and recovery from the stains. Drug stains prepared from urine (3 mL) were stores at -20 degrees C, 4 degrees C, and at room temperature for a period of 12 weeks. The study included: amphetamine, benzoylecgonine, 11-nor-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid (THC-COOH), morphine, and phencyclidine (PCP) as examples of the HHS regulated drug classes. Drugs were eluted from the stains as follows: methanol:saline (1:1) for PCP and THC-COOH, saline for benzoylecgonine and carbonate/bicarbonate buffer pH 9.2 for amphetamine and morphine. Stains were eluted from the support matrix (Whatman #3 filter paper), extracted and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. All drugs were stable under all of the storage conditions except the THC-COOH urine stain stored at room temperature that degraded to zero after 12 weeks. Therefore, drug stains when kept frozen or refrigerated appear to provide a viable means for storing positive urine specimens.
authors.affiliation: Corning National Center for Forensic Science, Baltimore, MD 21227, USA.
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: DuBey
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Caplan
mesh_terms: D004355:Drug Stability; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000652:urine*; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs