Historically urine and blood samples of the suspected person used be the for Identification of narcotics in body fluids. But nowadays, the identification of narcotics in body fluids has undergone some serious advancements, particularly over the past 10 – 15 years. Currently, some alternative body fluid samples to urine sample drug testing or blood sample drug testing have become extremely significant. These alternative methods are faster for proving whether the given person has got exposure to narcotics drugs or not.
Body fluids used for Drug testing
These alternative methods for narcotics establishment have immensely resulted in the improvement of the clinical and the forensic toxicology of narcotic testing. These alternative samples include sweat, hair, and oral fluids. Sometimes samples of Oral fluids are also used. But oral fluids are been seen as an intrusive alternative to the conventional blood sample or urine when the use of narcotics is suspected. Even if these attributes are real, oral fluids should not be a substitute for blood or urine drug testing. The reason being; it violates basic human values. Each sample taken from a suspect has its own distinct advantages as well as disadvantages.
Recent developments in the Identification of narcotics in body fluids
The introduction of recently developed analytical chemistry techniques like LC-MS as a routine laboratory method. These methods have enabled chemists the benefits of High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) separation techniques to be linked to the high sensitivity and specificity of MS. This has assisted in the development of narcotics or drug testing in the oral fluids due to the relatively small sample volumes that are usually collected.
Furthermore, the last decade has also seen significant development in the understanding of narcotic drug testing. In addition, it has resulted in the development of their pharmacokinetics in oral fluid. This particularly helps in the identification of the banned drug and the concentration of it used by the person. It also helps to show whether these narcotic concentrations may or may not relate to the blood concentration of the person.
In addition, the use of initial screening cartridges or devices providing an electronic readout is in full practice currently. In addition, the designing of drug testing kits makes on-site narcotic drug detection possible. This can be done without the need for sophisticated laboratory screening equipment. These are able to provide a preliminary drug result within minutes.
A number of reviews and major papers currently exist for various aspects of drugs and drug testing in oral fluid. These include its use as a diagnostic tool, workplace applications in drugs in driving, legal issues associated with drug testing in oral fluid, and detection times and pharmacokinetics of selected drugs.
This post outlines the various body fluid which can be used for narcotic drug testing. It also mentions the different advantages and disadvantages of oral fluid testing for narcotic drugs.
