• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.54 no.4
• /
• pp.226-231
• /
• 2010

Oral fluid has become increasingly popular as an alternative specimen in the field of driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) and work place drug testing. In this study, an analytical method for the detection and quantification of ${\Delta}^9$-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and its metabolite, 11-nor-9-carboxy-${\Delta}^9$-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH) in oral fluid by SPE and GC-MS was established and fully validated. The stability of THC and THC-COOH in oral fluid during storage was also determined by examining the THC and THC-COOH concentration changes depending on time and container materials. Oral fluid samples were kept over 21 days at room temperature, $-4^{\circ}C$ and $-20^{\circ}C$ in two different specimen collection tubes; glass and polypropylene tubes. Three replicates for each condition with different temperature and types of a container were analyzed at five different time points over 21 days. When oral fluid samples were stored in glass tubes, the loss of both THC and THC-COOH was less than 10% at all room temperature, $-4^{\circ}C$ and $-20^{\circ}C$. However, in polypropylene tubes, the loss of both THC and THC-COOH increased significantly over the study period. In particular, the concentration of THC decreased more rapidly than that of THC-COOH at room temperature and the maximal percentage of THC lost was 90.3% after 21 days. The result indicates that it would be necessary to collect oral fluid samples in glass containers and cool the samples until analysis in order to prevent the degradation of analytes.

• Analytical Science and Technology
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 2011

We described an estimation of measurement uncertainty in quantitative analysis of 11-nor-9-carboxy-${\Delta}^9$-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH), the metabolite of ${\Delta}^9$-tetrahydrocannabinol, in hair samples by using the bead-assisted liquid-liquid extraction and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric (GC-NCI-MS/MS) detection. Traceability of measurement was established through the use of reference materials, calibrated volumetric tubes, volume measuring devices, and measuring instruments. The analytical results were compared and the different contributions to the uncertainty were evaluated. Inter-day variation was performed by using statistical analysis of several indicative factors. Measurement uncertainty associated with the analyte in real forensic hair samples were estimated using QC data. The major factor of contribution to combined standard uncertainty was inter-day repeatability, while those associated with preparation of analytical standard and also sample of weight were insignificant considering the degree of contribution. Relative uncertainty of relative extended standard uncertainty divided into the measured concentration of the analyte was 17% in a hair sample. The uncertainty of result evaluation will be invaluable to improve quality of the analysis.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.52 no.6
• /
• pp.480-487
• /
• 2008

We described an estimation of measurement uncertainty in quantitative analysis of 11-nor-9-carboxy-${\Delta}^9$-tetrahydrocannabinol (THCCOOH), the major metabolite of ${\Delta}^9$-tetrahydrocannabinol, in urine sample by solid-phase extraction (SPE) and GC/MS detection. The analytical results were compared and the different contributions to the uncertainty were evaluated. Inter-day and inter-person validation were performed using statistical analysis of several indicative factors. Measurement uncertainty associated with target analyte in real forensic samples was estimated using quality control (QC) data. Traceability of measurement was established through traceable standards, calibrated volumetric glassware and volume measuring device. The major factors of contribution to combined standard uncertainty, were calibration linearity, inter-day repeatability and inter-person reproducibility, while those associated with preparation of analytical standards and sampling volume were not so important considering the degree of contribution. Relative combined standard uncertainties associated with the described method was 12.05% for THCCOOH.

• Analytical Science and Technology
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.83-88
• /
• 2010

For the evaluation of our laboratory's 11-nor-${\Delta}^9$-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid (THCCOOH) urinalysis test, THCCOOH urinalysis test was carried out with Certified Reference Material (CRM). The used CRM was THCCOOH in freeze-dried urine produced by NIST as Standard Reference Material 1507b. Comparing the estimated value of our laboratory with CRM, the results was coincided in the confidence level of approximately 95%.

• Analytical Science and Technology
• /
• v.19 no.5
• /
• pp.441-448
• /
• 2006

11-nor-9-carboxy-${\Delta}^9$-tetrahydrocannabinol (THCCOOH) is the major metabolite of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which is the primary psychoactive component of marijuana. It is also the target analyte for the discrimination marijuana use. A method using solid-phase extraction (SPE) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was developed for the determination of THCCOOH in human urine. Urine samples (3 mL) were extracted by SPE column with a cation exchange cartridge after basic hydrolysis. The eluents were then evaporated, derivatized, and injected into the GC/MS. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantitation (LOQ) were 0.4 and 1.2 ng/mL, respectively. The response was linear with a correlation coefficient of 0.999 within the concentration range of 1.2 (LLE 1.3)~50.0 ng/mL. The precision and accuracy were stable within 1.20% and the recovery was 83.6~90.7%. The recovery of SPE method was lower than that of liquid-liquid extraction (LLE), but there were no apparent differences in LOD, LOQ, precision and accuracy between the two methods. While SPE method is used as a very effective and rapid procedure for sample pretreatment, and clean extracts, LLE method was not suitable for the extraction procedure of THCCOOH in urine. The applicability of the method was proven by analyzing a urine samples from a marijuana abusers.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.48 no.3
• /
• pp.207-212
• /
• 2004

An analytic method was developed for the quantitation of $\Delta$$^{9}-$ tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and 11-nor-9-carboxy THC (THC-COOH) in human hair. After hair samples were pulverized using Freezer Mill, deuterated internal standards were added and digested in 1 N NaOH at $100^{\circ}C$ water bath for 30 min. Digest solutions were extracted by 5 ml hexane：ethyl acetate (90：10) after acidification with acetic acid. The organic phase was evaporated under N 2 and derivatized by BSTFA (with 1% TMCS) at $85^{\circ}C$ for 45 min. The derivatized solution was separated on HP-5MS column ($30m{\times}0.25mm{\times}0.25mm$) and detected using EI-GC-MS with selective ion monitoring mode. The assay of calibration was ranged from 5 to 100 ng/50 mg hair ($r^2$＞0.99) for THC and THC-COOH. Within and between-run precision were calculated at 6, 30, 60 ng/50 mg hair with coefficients of variation less than 11%. Within and between run accuracies at the same concentrations were$\pm$14% and $\pm$30% of target for both analytes, respectively. Absolute and relative recovery at 10 and 100 ng were 60∼91％. The method was used to detect and quantify THC and THC-COOH in cannabis abuser's hairs (N = 16) and SRM (N=5, THC 1 ng/mg, NIST). We detected THC and THC-COOH in only one hair sample. In SRM, % accuracy was 93% (range 86∼103%) and precision (% CV) was 8.14. We began to set up a quantitative analysis of THC and THC-COOH using EI-GC-MS. Continuously, we need to modify and develop this method in order to apply for identification in cannanbis users' hair.