Adulteration of urine by "Urine Luck"

Background: In vitro adulterants are used to invalidate assays for urine dr ugs of abuse. The present study examined the effect of pyridinium chlorochr omate (PCC) found in the product "Urine Luck". Methods: PCC was prepared and added to positive urine controls at concentra tions of 0, 10, 50, and 100 g/L. The controls were assayed for methamphetam ine, benzoylecgonine (BE), codeine and morphine, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) , and phencyclidine (PCP) with the Emit II (Syva) and Abuscreen Online (Roc he) immunoassays, and by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Two tests were also developed to detect PCC in urine: a spot test to detect chr omate ions using 10 g/L 1,5-diphenylcarbazide as the indicator, and a GC/MS assay for pyridine. We tested 150 samples submitted for routine urinalysis , compliance, and workplace drug testing for PCC, using these assays. Results: Response rates decreased at 100 g/L PCC for all Emit II drug assay s and for the Abuscreen morphine and THC assays. In contrast, the Abuscreen amphetamine assay produced apparently higher results, and no effect was se en on the results for BE or PCP. The PCC did not affect the GC/MS recovery of methamphetamine, BE, PCP, or their deuterated internal standards, but de creased GC/MS recovery of the opiates at both intermediate (50 g/L) and hig h (100 gn) PCC concentrations and apparent concentrations of THC and THC-d( 3) at all PCC concentrations. Two of 50 samples submitted for workplace dru g testing under chain-of-custody conditions were positive for PCC, whereas none of the remaining 100 specimens submitted for routine urinalysis or com pliance drug testing were positive. Conclusions: PCC is an effective adulterant for urine drug testing of THC a nd opiates. Identification of PCC use can be accomplished with use of a spo t test for the oxidant. (C) 1999 American Association for Clinical Chemistr y.