title: Stability of ethyl glucuronide in urine, post-mortem tissue and blood samples.
abstract: The stability of ethyl glucuronide (EtG) under conditions of degradation was examined in urine samples of nine volunteers and in post-mortem tissue (liver, skeletal muscle) and blood taken from seven corpses at autopsies. Analysis was performed via LC-MS/MS. EtG concentrations in urine samples ranged from 2.5 to 296.5 mg/l. When stored at 4 degrees C in airtight test tubes, EtG concentrations remained relatively constant; when stored at room temperature (RT) for 5 weeks in ventilated vials, variations of EtG concentrations ranged from a 30% decrease to an 80% increase, with an average of 37.5% increase. Liver and skeletal muscle tissue of three corpses with positive blood alcohol concentrations (BAC; ranging from 0.106 to 0.183 g%) were stored for 4 weeks and analysed periodically. EtG concentrations decreased 27.7% on average in 4 weeks storage at RT but EtG was still detectable in all samples with initial EtG concentrations higher than 1 mug/g. Blood and liver samples of four corpses with negative BACs were stored at RT after addition of 0.1 g% ethanol, and no new formation of EtG was observed.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Legal Medicine, University Hospital, Albertstrasse 9, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Haiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schloegl
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dresen
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Spaczynski
authors.forename: Mylène
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stoertzel
authors.forename: Friedrich Martin
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Wurst
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Weinmann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000032:analysis; D004355:Drug Stability; D000431:Ethanol / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D053593:Forensic Toxicology; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D005965:Glucuronates / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry*; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D013048:Specimen Handling
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D005965:Glucuronates; C093924:ethyl glucuronide; D000431:Ethanol