A METHOD FOR THE CONFIRMATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF DRUGS OF MISUSE IN URINE USING SOLID-PHASE EXTRACTION AND GAS-LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY WITH MASS-SPECTROMETRY

A method is described for the confirmation/identification of a range o f commonly misused drugs in urine samples. The method has been used fo r two years without problems for a range of purposes including hospita l/clinic drugs of misuse screening and for toxicology in coroner's cas es. 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 si ngle procedure. Bond ElutCertify columns are used for the extraction o f drugs from the samples followed by propionylation and gas chromatogr aphy with mass selective detection.