The Drug Czar ‘What a Chemistry Minor in College Gets You’ Or ‘You Can’t Beat a Drug Test’

2 Overview Background U.S. Department of Transportation Testing General Chemistry in the Workplace Drug Czar Q+A (I’ve never been stumped)

3 Personal Background High School College U.S. Navy Northwest Airlines / Delta Air Lines

4 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

5 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.

6 U.S Dept of Transportation (DOT) Testing Alcohol Pre-duty and on-duty, prohibited. Prohibited Classes of Drugs Marijuana Cocaine Amphetamines PCP Opiates

7 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

8 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

9 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

10 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

11 General Chemistry in the Workplace Validity Testing pH –Normal 4.0 – 9.0. Specific Gravity (density relative to water) –Normal – Creatinine –>20 mg/dl.

12 General Chemistry in the Workplace Oxidizing & Adulterant Agents PCC (pyridinium chlorochromate) –UrineLuck (hexa-valent) –Chromax (chromium picolinate – tri-valent) OK. Glutaraldehyde –UrineAid, Clear Choice

13 General Chemistry in the Workplace Oxidizing & Adulterant Agents Nitrites (NO2 - ) –Klear, Whizzies –Poppers, Huffers (alkyl nitrites, butyl nitrite) Peroxide –Stealth –Peroxidase and H2O2.

14 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.

15 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.

16 General Chemistry in the Workplace Immunoassay – Initial Screening. Use the body’s immune system to find & identify analytes.

17 General Chemistry in the Workplace Confirmation Testing (GC/MS) Gas Chromatography –Used to separate different compounds. –Oven. Mass Spectroscopy

18 U.S Dept of Transportation (DOT) Testing Urine vs. Hair vs. Oral Fluid ? Steroids ?

19 Overview Background U.S. Department of Transportation Testing General Chemistry in the Workplace Drug Czar Q+A (I’ve never been stumped)

20 Q+A (I’ve never been stumped)