title: Influence of chemical straightening on the stability of drugs of abuse in hair.
abstract: Chemical straightening, also known as a relaxer, is ubiquitously used among African American women to obtain straighter hair compared with their natural tresses. This study focused on the stability of drugs of abuse in hair after a single application of the relaxer. Commercially available 'Lye' or 'No-Lye' chemical straightening products (Silk Elements™) were applied in vitro to drug-fortified hair (standard reference materials (SRM) 2379 and 2380) and hairs clipped from established drug users. Target analytes (cocaine (COC), benzoylecgonine (BZE), cocaethylene (CE), phencyclidine and tetrahydrocannabinol) were isolated using solid-phase extraction and then analyzed with isotope dilution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with selective ion monitoring. After either treatment, drug concentrations were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased in both the SRM sample and the hair from authentic abusers. In the SRM groups, 6-67% of the original concentration remained after a single chemical treatment. Similarly, only 5-30% of the original concentration remained in authentic drug hairs that had formerly tested positive for COC, BZE and CE.
authors.affiliation: Chemical Sciences Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8392, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8392, USA jeanita.pritchett@nist.gov.
authors.forename: Jeanita S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Pritchett
authors.affiliation: Biomolecular Measurement Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8392, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8392, USA.
authors.forename: Karen W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Phinney
mesh_terms: D003042:Cocaine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D013759:Dronabinol / Q000032:analysis; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D006203:Hair Preparations / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D010622:Phencyclidine / Q000032:analysis; D052616:Solid Phase Extraction; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D006203:Hair Preparations; C005618:benzoylecgonine; D013759:Dronabinol; C066444:cocaethylene; D003042:Cocaine; D010622:Phencyclidine