Abstract

A method is described for the confirmation/identification of a range of commonly misused drugs in urine samples. The method has been used for two years without problems for a range of purposes including hospital/clinic drugs of misuse screening and for toxicology in coroner's cases. Urine samples which have given a positive result on immunochemical screening for a particular drug group or groups (for example, opiates) can be processed with identification of the drugs present using a single procedure. Bond ElutCertify columns are used for the extraction of drugs from the samples followed by propionylation and gas chromatography with mass selective detection.