Analysis of drug abuse in the body

Author: Shen Min
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-01-01
Features: In recent decades, with drug abuse (narcotics) gradually becoming a global social issue, the field of forensic toxicology has been presented with new tasks and requirements. The development and application of modern analytical techniques have accelerated the analysis and identification of abused drugs in the body, making it a central focus of toxicological analysis.
The analysis of abused drugs in the body has been extensively reported in foreign literature. In recent years, the main developments have focused on continuously improving sample preparation methods and using highly sensitive chromatographic and mass spectrometry techniques to analyze abused drugs and their metabolites in bodily fluids, tissues, and hair. Particularly, extensive research has been conducted on the formation mechanisms, analysis, and interpretation of results for abused drugs in hair.
In contrast, the analysis of abused drugs in the body in China started relatively late, and there are still few institutions engaged in this research and identification. Especially in the analysis of abused drugs in hair, it remains almost a blank area, with very few domestic references available. Many forensic and pharmaceutical workers hope for specialized works tailored to their national context.
In the early 1990s, the laboratory where the authors are based pioneered the study of abused drug analysis in the body in China. To date, it has completed research on the analysis of opioids, amphetamines, cannabis, benzodiazepines, and volatile substances such as ethanol, accumulating some experience and achievements. In certain aspects, it has reached the international forefront of this research field.
Against this backdrop, the authors have compiled the book Analysis of Abused Drugs in the Body based on a summary of contemporary research findings and their own practical experience. The book is divided into twelve chapters.
Chapter 1 introduces the concept and classification of abused drugs; the tasks and characteristics of abused drug analysis in the body; the evaluation of analytical methods; and laboratory standards and quality assurance.
Chapter 2 discusses the biological sample preparation methods for analyzing abused drugs and their metabolites in bodily fluids, tissues, and hair. It covers the properties of biological samples, the basic principles and methods of sample preparation. The chapter focuses on introducing hair sample analysis methods that have not yet been reported in domestic literature. It provides a detailed discussion on the structure and properties of hair, the pathways by which abused drugs enter hair, and the methods for handling hair samples.