The Drug Czar

‘What a Chemistry Minor in College Gets You’Or

‘You Can’t Beat a Drug Test’

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Overview

Background

U.S. Department of Transportation Testing

General Chemistry in the Workplace

Drug Czar Q+A (I’ve never been stumped)

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Personal BackgroundHigh School

College

U.S. Navy

Northwest Airlines / Delta Air Lines

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U.S Dept of Transportation (DOT) Testing

Safety-Sensitive Functions

• Pilots• Flight Attendants• Mechanics• Dispatchers• Ground Security Coordinators• Security Screeners• Flight Instructors• Air Traffic Controllers

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U.S Dept of Transportation (DOT) Testing

Safety-Sensitive Functions

• Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers (truck drivers)

• Hazardous materials operators (pipelines)

• Railroad operators (engineers, conductors)

• Mass transit (bus drivers, light rail engineers)

• Nuclear power plant operators.

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U.S Dept of Transportation (DOT) Testing

Alcohol

• Pre-duty and on-duty, prohibited.

Prohibited Classes of Drugs

• Marijuana• Cocaine• Amphetamines• PCP• Opiates

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U.S Dept of Transportation (DOT) Testing

Prohibited Classes of Drugs

• Marijuana metabolite– Delta-9-tetrahydocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid (THC)– 15 ng/mL

• Cocaine metabolite– Benzoylecgonine– 150 ng/mL

• Amphetamines– Methamphetamine– 500 ng/mL

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U.S Dept of Transportation (DOT) Testing

Prohibited Classes of Drugs

• PCP (Phencyclidine)– 25 ng/mL

• Opiate metabolites– Codeine, Morphine

• 2000 ng/mL– 6acetylmorphine

• 10 ng/mL

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General Chemistry in the Workplace

Point of Collection

• Sample volume– 45 mls

• Specimen production time– 4 minutes

• Specimen temperature– 90 – 100 degrees F

• Color / Odor

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General Chemistry in the Workplace

Laboratory Testing

• Validity Testing

• Initial Screening (Immunoassay).– Negatives >>> negative (>95%).– Non-negative >>> confirmation process.

• Confirmation process.– Gas Chromatography– Mass Spectroscopy

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General Chemistry in the Workplace

Validity Testing

• pH– Normal 4.0 – 9.0.

• Specific Gravity (density relative to water)– Normal 1.003 – 1.030.

• Creatinine– >20 mg/dl.

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General Chemistry in the Workplace

Oxidizing & Adulterant Agents

• PCC (pyridinium chlorochromate)– UrineLuck (hexa-valent)– Chromax (chromium picolinate – tri-valent) OK.

• Glutaraldehyde– UrineAid, Clear Choice

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General Chemistry in the Workplace

Oxidizing & Adulterant Agents

• Nitrites (NO2-)– Klear, Whizzies– Poppers, Huffers (alkyl nitrites, butyl nitrite)

• Peroxide– Stealth– Peroxidase and H2O2.

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General Chemistry in the Workplace

Initial Screening - Immunoassay

• Immunoassay – A biochemical test that measures the presence or concentration of a substance in complex mixture of substances.

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General Chemistry in the Workplace

Immunoassay – Initial Screening

• Antibody – Proteins in your body’s immune system that are used to identify and neutralize foreign objects.

• Antigen – A molecule that binds to an antibody.

• Basic Idea – Use the body’s immune system to find & identify analytes.

• Two Volunteers, please.

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General Chemistry in the Workplace

Immunoassay – Initial Screening. Use the body’s immune system to find & identify analytes.

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General Chemistry in the Workplace

Confirmation Testing (GC/MS)

• Gas Chromatography– Used to separate different compounds.– Oven.

• Mass Spectroscopy

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U.S Dept of Transportation (DOT) Testing

Urine vs. Hair vs. Oral Fluid ?

Steroids ?

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Overview

Background

U.S. Department of Transportation Testing

General Chemistry in the Workplace

Drug Czar Q+A (I’ve never been stumped)

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Q+A (I’ve never been stumped)