ABSTRACT
Headspace gas chromatography was used to reanalyze forensic blood specimens for ethyl alcohol content after storage at room temperature for 3.0 and 6.75 years. All samples exhibited a decline in ethanol concentration, with most losses falling within the expected 20 to 40 mg% range.
Subject(s)
Ethanol/blood , Chromatography, Gas/methods , Forensic Medicine , Humans , Specimen Handling/methods , Time FactorsABSTRACT
A rapid, sensitive, and specific procedure is described for the mass screening and confirmation of diazepam (Valium) in urine at levels as low as 0.5 micrograms/mL. Raw urine specimens are screened directly by the enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique, and those screened positive are confirmed by thin-layer chromatography. Diazepam and its metabolites are converted to benzophenones; diazepam, 3-hydroxydiazepam, and its glucuronide yield 2-methylamino-5-chlorobenzophenone (MACB); whereas N-desmethyldiazepam, oxazepam, and oxazepam glucuronide yield 2-amino-5-chlorobenzophenone (ACB). The two benzophenones are well separated by a solvent system of petroleum ether:glacial acetic acid (90:10) and can be detected under ultraviolet light. A specimen reported positive for diazepam must produce spots for both ACB and MACB. No other benzodiazepines used in the United States or other urinary substances have been found to interfere; thus the procedure described is specific for for diazepam.
Subject(s)
Diazepam/urine , Chromatography, Thin Layer/methods , Immunoenzyme Techniques/methodsABSTRACT
During the spring of 1977 a survey was taken of drug analysis results for over 17,500 urine samples from Los Angeles County probationers and over 8,500 urine samples from Los Angeles County methadone clinic enrollees to determine the frequency of diazepam (Valium) use. The probation department specimens were found to contain diazepan less frequently than the methadone clinic specimens as a group. There were, however, wide variations in use frequency between the seven methadone clinics.
