Drug Testing

GC/MS

2 Combined Instruments. Initial separation by GC, emerges at known RT, permit specific timed-components to flow into the mass spectrometer from the GC, in MS a beam of high-energy electrons collide with material producaing very unstable charges ions.

Anna Nicole Smith

Accidental drug overdose of the sedative chloral hydrate which became lethal when combined with other precription drugs in her system, specifically four benzodiazepines: Klonopin, Ativan, Serax, and Valium.

Prince

Accidental fentanyl drug overdose. Died after taking what he thought was vicodin but was actually a counterfeit painkiller laced with fentanyl.

Key Factors Affecting BAC test results

Amount and time consumed. Drinking on empty stomach. Binge drinking. Person's gender and body weight.

Schedule IV

Benzodiazepines, long acting barbiturates like Phenobarbital

BAC

Blood alcohol content

How is blood collected for alcohol testing?

Blood sample is best prserved in a sealed airtight Grey Top tube; Failure to properly prserve blood may result in a decline of the BAC.

Why are screening, confirmation, quantitative, and qualitative test of critical importance to the American CJ system.

Both the substance type and the amount of the substance influence SENTENCING. Criminal charges depend on knowing.

Tom Petty

Cardiac arrest. Accidental overdose. "Multisystem organ failue due to resuscutated cardiopulmonary arrest due to mixed drug toxicity.

Heath Ledger

Cardiac arrest. Accidental prescription overdose. Acute intoxication by the combined effectes of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam, and doxylamine.

Carrie Fisher

Cardiac arrest. Evidence of cocaine, methadone, ecstasy, alcohol and opiates found in toxicology review.

Philip S. Hoffman

Combined drug intoxication. Died of acute mixed drug intoxication, including heroin, cocaine, benzodiazepines and amphetamine.

Whitney Houston

Coronary artery disease. Drowning due to coronary artery disease and cocaine intoxication.

TX Case of Ethan Couch

DUI killed 4; Injured 9. The affluenza defense.

How often are drugs found at a crime scenes?

Drugs is the most common evidence found at a crime scene.

What is the primary confirmation test for most drugs and alcohol?

GC/MS I think...

Schedule II

Have a high abuse potential and limited medical use with restrictions. Ex. Cocaine, PCP, most Amphetamine and Methamphetamine prescriptions, opioids like Fentanyl, Oxycodone, Hydrocodone.

Schedule I

Have high abuse potential and no currently accepted medical use. Ex. Heroin, MJ, K2/SPICE, MDMA, LSD

Schedule III -V drugs

Have progressivley less abuse potential and more medical uses as the number increases.

Opioid Epidemic?

Highly addictive SCHEDULE 2 drug;Commonly prescribed to treat pain; Counterfeit has fentanyl present; In 2016 more American death due to Oxy and Hydrocodone (17.5k) and Heroin (13k) than gun violence.

Michael Jackson

Homocide. Combination of drugs in his body, with the most significant drugs being the anesthetic propofol and the anxiolytic lorazepam.

Commercial pills unequivocally or presumptively ID'd?

I DO NOT KNOW

Screening Test

Initial non-specific and presumptive test, reduces possibilites to a manageable #

Drug Chromatography

Involves 2 phases: the mobile phase is forced to move in one direction over a second stationary phase. Drugs that prefer the mobile phase will move ahead and separate from the substances that prefer to bind in the stationary phase.

GC/Mass Spectrometry

Ions instantly decompose to predictable consistent numerous fragments, that are separated based on mases. Under controlled conditions, no 2 molecules produce the same fragmentation pattern. GOLD STANDARD

Presumptive Color Tests

Marquis-Levine Color Test. Alleged drugs added to bag and chemicals mixed by breaking internal glass capsules. Heroin, morphine and opium based drugs -> purple. Amphetamines -> orange brown.

Spectrophotometry

Measures the quantity of light a specific material absorbs.

Gas Chromatography

Mobile phase is a gas that flows through a column, stationary phase is a thin film of bonded liquid contained within the colum, after misture travelled length of column, it is separated into components.

Marijuana

Most abused illicit drug in the U.S. -> controversial use; Side effects: increase in pulse and hunger, dry mouth, reduced motor skills and ability to concentrate; No physical dependence; Contains the chemical Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which has the most psychoactive effects.

Schedule III

Most short acting barbiturates, codeine, anabolic steroids, ketamine

Presumptive test advantages and disadvantages.

No sophisticated equipment. Inexpensive and fast. Not sensitive for small amounts of drugs. Prone to false positive results.

DUI per se laws

Once a person is shown to have a BAC at or above .08 percent, that person will be considered intoxicated by law. Commercial driver greater than or equal to .04g/dl limit.

Drug abuse epidemic in the U.S.?

Per 2010 NCVS, 22.6 million Americans 12 or older were current illicit drug user (Increase due to MJ use); OD killed about 64K people in 2016; 4.2% U.S. workforce positive for drug abuse based on about 10M urinanalyses.

Implied Consent Laws

Requiers all drivers lawfully arrested for DWI to submit to chemical testing to determine BAC or the presence of drugs.

Why do labs perform confirmation tests?

Screening test are not sensitive for small amounts of drugs, and are prone to false positive results.Want to ensure the specific identification of one drug.

Confirmation Test

Single teset that specifically identifies one and only one substance.

Thin Layer Chromatography

Solid stationary phase coated onto a plate and a mobile liquid phase to separate the mixture components. The liquid rises up the plate causing sample to be distributed between station phase and mobile phase.

Quantitative Test

The sample is weighed and the test is used to estimate what mass of the sample is the drug.

Retention time

The time required for component to emerge from the column.

What is the function of quality assurance?

To ensure the result are accurate and reliable and involve good lab practices. Ex. Use of 2 separate samplings, Trained and certified staff, bar coding and personnel double checks, minimal sample requirments such as volume to test, personal identifiable info, batch testing, lab inspections.

Breathalyzer

Used to ID and quanitfy the amount of alcohol in the suspects blood

Presumptive screening test

Used to determine whether drugs are present. Help police form probable cause to supprt that the unknown substance is controlled. Often generate false positives.

What are cutting agents?

Used to dilute product and increase money. Ex. Baking powder, Quinine, Novocain, Sugar or Starch, Levamisole

Spectrophotometer

Used to measure and record absorption spectrum of a chemical substance. EssentialComponents:A light source, a monochromator, a sample holder, a detector, a recorder to document signal

Qualitative Tests

Yes/No results about drug presence and lack ability to determine how much drug is present.

Chromatogram

graph record of separation

Schedule V

most OTC (over the counter) drugs like cough syrup.