Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Detection of tetrahydrocannabinol residues on hands by ion-mobility spectrometry (IMS). Correlation of IMS data with saliva analysis

  • Paper in Forefront
  • Published:
Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Ion-mobility spectroscopy (IMS) was evaluated as a high-throughput, cheap, and efficient analytical tool for detecting residues of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on hands. Regarding the usefulness of hand residues as potential samples for determining THC handling and abuse, we studied the correlation between data obtained from cannabis consumers who were classified as positive after saliva analysis and from those who were classified as positive on the basis of the information from hand-residue analysis. Sampling consisted of wiping the hands with borosilicate glass microfiber filters and introducing these directly into the IMS after thermal desorption. The possibility of false positive responses, resulting from the presence of other compounds with a similar drift time to THC, was evaluated and minimised by applying the truncated negative second-derivative algorithm. The possibility of false negative responses, mainly caused by competitive ionisation resulting from nicotine, was also studied.

THC residues: from hands to analytical signals

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Recommended methods for the identification and analysis of cannabis and cannabis products (2009) United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, New York. http://www.unodc.org/documents/scientific/FST-NAR-40Ebook.pdf. Accessed 27 March 2015

  2. World Drug Report (2014) United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, New York. http://www.unodc.org/documents/wdr2014/World_Drug_Report_2014_web.pdf. Accessed 27 March 2015

  3. Musshoff F, Madea B (2006) Review of Biologic Matrices (Urine, Blood, Hair) as indicators of recent or ongoing cannabis use. Ther Drug Monit 28:155–163

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Drummer OH, Gerostamoulos J, Batziris H, Chu M, Caplehorn JR, Robertson MD, Swann P (2003) The incidence of drugs in drivers killed in Australian road traffic crashes. Forensic Sci Int 134:154–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. EU Integrated Project DRUID (Driving under the Influence of Drugs, Alcohol and Medicines) 2006-2011. http://www.druid-project.eu/Druid/EN/Home/home_node.html. Accessed 27 March 2015

  6. EU Project Roadside Testing Assessment (ROSITA) 2000. www.rosita.org Accessed 27 March 2015

  7. Lee D, Huestis MA (2014) Current knowledge on cannabinoids in oral fluid. Drug Test Anal 6:88–111

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Vearrier D, Curtis JA, Greenberg MI (2010) In: Luch A (ed) Molecular, Clinical and Environmental Toxicology Volume 2: Clinical Toxicology. Springer, Basel

    Google Scholar 

  9. Manno JE, Manno BR, Kemp PM, Alford DD, Abukhalaf IK, McWilliams ME, Hagaman FN, Fitzgerald MJ (2001) Temporal indication of marijuana use can be estimated from plasma and urine concentrations of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol, 11-hydroxy-delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol, and 11-nor-delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid. J Anal Toxicol 25:538–549

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Fraga SG, Estevez JDF, Romero D (1998) Stability of cannabinoids in urine in three storage temperatures. Ann Clin Lab Sci 28:160–162

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Giroud C, Ménétrey A, Augsburger M, Buclin T, Sanchez-Mazas P, Mangin P (2001) Δ9-THC, 11-OH-Δ9-THC and Δ9-THCCOOH plasma or serum to whole blood concentrations distribution ratios in blood samples taken from living and dead people. Forensic Sci Int 123:159–164

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Teixeira H, Verstraete A, Proença P, Corte-Real F, Monsanto P, Vieira DN (2007) Validated method for the simultaneous determination of Δ9-THC and Δ9-THC-COOH in oral fluid, urine and whole blood using solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization. Forensic Sci Int 170:148–155

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Aps JK, Martens LC (2005) Review: The physiology of saliva and transfer of drugs into saliva. Forensic Sci Int 150:119–131

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Nakahara Y, Takahashi K, Kikura R (1995) Hair analysis for drugs of abuse. X. Effect of physicochemical properties of drugs on the incorporation rates into hair. Biol Pharm Bull 18:1223–1227

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Huestis MA, Scheidweiler KB, Saito T, Fortner N, Abraham T, Gustafson RA, Smith ML (2008) Excretion of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol in Sweat. Forensic Sci Int 174:173–177

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Kintz P, Cirimele V, Ludes B (2000) Detection of Cannabis in Oral Fluid (Saliva) and Forehead Wipes (Sweat) from Impaired Drivers. J Anal Toxicol 24:557–561

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Beck O, Sandqvist S, Dubbelboer I, Franck J (2011) Detection of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol in exhaled breath collected from cannabis users. J Anal Toxicol 35:541–544

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Mattarozzi M, Bianchi F, Bisceglie F, Careri M, Mangia A, Mori G, Gregori A (2011) Planar solid-phase microextraction-ion mobility spectrometry: a diethoxydiphenylsilane-based coating for the detection of explosives and explosive taggants. Anal Bioanal Chem 399:2741–2746

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Fan W, Young M, Canino J, Smith J, Oxley J, Almirall JR (2012) Fast detection of triacetone triperoxide (TATP) from headspace using planar solid-phase microextraction (PSPME) coupled to an IMS detector. Anal Bioanal Chem 403:401–408

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Eiceman GA, Karpas Z (2005) Ion Mobility Spectrometry. CRC Press, Boca Raton

    Book  Google Scholar 

  21. Armenta S, Garrigues S, de la Guardia M, Brassier J, Alcalà M, Blanco M (2015) Analysis of ecstasy in oral fluid by ion mobility spectrometry andinfrared spectroscopy after liquid–liquid extraction. J Chromatogr A 1384:1–8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Kanu AB, Hill HH Jr (2007) Identity confirmation of drugs and explosives in ion mobility spectrometry using a secondary drift gas. Talanta 73:692–699

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Su CW, Babcock K, Donahue MI (2001) An Investigation of the Effects of Temperature and Holding Materials on the IMS Detection of THC. Int J Ion Mobil Spec 4:31–34

    Google Scholar 

  24. Cannabis: A short Review (2011) United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, New York. www.unodc.org/documents/drug-prevention-and-treatment/cannabis_review.pdf Accessed 27 March 2015

  25. European Drug Report 2014 Trends and Development (2014) European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, Lisboa. http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/edr2014 Accessed 27 March 2015

  26. DeTulleo AM, Galat PB, Gay ME (2000) Detecting heroin in the presence of cocaine using ion mobility spectrometry. Int J Ion Mobil Spec 3:38–42

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Projects CTQ 2012 38635 and CTQ 2014 52841).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Analytical Chemistry, Research Building, University of Valencia, Dr Moliner 50, 46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain

    Saskia Sonnberg, Sergio Armenta, Salvador Garrigues & Miguel de la Guardia

Authors
  1. Saskia Sonnberg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sergio Armenta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Salvador Garrigues
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Miguel de la Guardia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sergio Armenta.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sonnberg, S., Armenta, S., Garrigues, S. et al. Detection of tetrahydrocannabinol residues on hands by ion-mobility spectrometry (IMS). Correlation of IMS data with saliva analysis. Anal Bioanal Chem 407, 5999–6008 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-015-8784-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-015-8784-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation