Evaluation of enzymatic techniques for screening amphetamines and alcohol in oral fluid

Wragg, Christopher (2010) Evaluation of enzymatic techniques for screening amphetamines and alcohol in oral fluid. MSc(R) thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

Evaluations of the Immunalysis enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Immunalysis enzymatic assay for ethyl alcohol were undertaken to evaluate their suitability for screening drugs of abuse (namely amphetamine and methamphetamine) and alcohol in oral fluid samples collected with the Quantisal Collection Device. Multi-analyte controls were prepared for the drugs of abuse screen and diluted with Quantisal buffer prior to analysis to match the dilution in the Quantisal Oral Fluid Collection Device that was used to collect the samples. These samples were analysed over time to evaluate stability and case samples were analysed to evaluate sensitivity and specificity.
Alcohol calibrators and controls were evaluated for linearity and stability before being applied to case samples to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the method.
The amphetamine assay was found to be highly sensitive and specific. The methamphetamine assay was found to be highly specific but no positive samples were analysed so the sensitivity could not be evaluated. The multi-analyte controls were found to be stable over a fourteen month period. The Immunalysis ELISA assays were found to be suitable for screening oral fluid samples.
The alcohol assay was found to be linear over the 0 – 300mg/dL range and the calibrators and controls were found to be stable over time. The assay was found to be highly sensitive and specific and best suited to high throughput laboratories expecting mainly negative samples. However, it would not be cost effective for smaller laboratories or those expecting a high number of positives, where going straight to confirmation by head-space gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection would be recommended.

• Item Type: Thesis (MSc(R))
• Qualification Level: Masters
• Keywords: Forensic Toxicology, GC-MS, Oral Fluid, ELISA, Amphetamines, Alcohol, Headspace GC-FID
• Subjects: R Medicine > R Medicine (General); Q Science > QD Chemistry; R Medicine > RS Pharmacy and materia medica
• Colleges/Schools: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Cancer Sciences
• Supervisor's Name: Cooper, Dr. Gail
• Date of Award: 2010
• Depositing User: Mr Chris Wragg
• Unique ID: glathesis:2010-2258
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 20 Nov 2010
• Last Modified: 10 Dec 2012 13:53
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/2258