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Detection of drugs in human hair for clinical and forensic applications

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Summary

While hair has for sometime been analyzed for assessment of trace elements, it is only in recent years that attention has been focused on this matrix as a possible means of evaluating drug impregnation. This technique was applied to treated subjects and drug abusers for determination of drug consummation. The method involved decontamination in ethanol, solubilization in sodium hydroxide at 100°C for 10 min, extraction in chloroform/isopropanol/n-heptane (50:17:33, v/v), separation on a BP-5 capillary column (GC) and detection by mass spectrometry. Hair samples were analysed for barbiturates, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, β-blockers, nicotine, opiates, benzoylecgonine, cannabis and amphetamines.

Zusammenfassung

Die schon lange zum Nachweis von Schwermetallvergiftungen angewendete Haaranalyse wird seit einigen Jahren auch zum Nachweis des Drogenmißbrauchs eingesetzt. - Die hier beschriebene Methode wurde für die Untersuchung von Haarproben von mit den entsprechenden Arzneistoffen behandelten Patienten und von Drogenabhängigen eingesetzt. Dazu werden die zuvor mit Ethanol gewaschenen Haare in 1 N Natronlauge (100°C) gelöst and mit Chloroform/lsopropanol/n-Heptan (50/17/33;,v/v/v) extrahiert. Nach gaschromatographischer Trennung an einer BP-5-Kapillare wurden die Substanzen massenspektrometrisch detektiert. Es wurden Barbiturate, Antidepressiva, Benzodiazepine, Betablocker, Nicotin, Opiate, Benzoylecgonin, Cannabis und Amphetamine nachgewiesen.

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Kintz, P., Tracqui, A. & Mangin, P. Detection of drugs in human hair for clinical and forensic applications. Int J Leg Med 105, 1–4 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01371228

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01371228

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