Methodology
Availability of specimen type and amount influence the analyses which are performed in each case. When there are no specimen restrictions, the following battery of tests are performed:
Note: The full battery of tests is not typically performed on passengers except on special request. Passengers are analyzed for carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) and cyanide in the event of a fire.
Carboxyhemoglobin: Blood
- Quantitation: UV/VIS
- Reporting cutoff: 10%
- Confirmation: GC/TCD
Cyanide: Blood (performed only if COHb is ≥ 10%)
- Quantitation: UV/VIS with Conway Diffusion preparation/color test
- Reporting cutoff: 0.25 µg/mL cutoff
Volatiles: All specimen types
- Headspace GC/FID, dual column
- Screening and Quantitation for Ethanol/Methanol/Isopropanol/Acetone
- When Ethanol ≥ 10 mg/dL
- Ethanol Reporting: Cutoff is 10 mg/dL
- Methanol/Isopropanol/Acetone Reporting: LOD = 1.0 mg/dL, LOQ = 2.5 mg/dL
- When Ethanol < 10 mg/dL
- Ethanol Reporting: Negative
- Methanol/Isopropanol/Acetone Reporting: Cutoff is 10 mg/dL
- When Ethanol ≥ 10 mg/dL
- Screening and Qualitative reporting for n-propanol, iso butanol, n-butanol, and sec-butanol
- When Ethanol ≥ 10 mg/dL
- Reporting Cutoff is 1 mg/dL
- When Ethanol < 10 mg/dL
- Reporting: Negative
- When Ethanol ≥ 10 mg/dL
Glucose: Urine or Vitreous Fluid
- Screening and Quantitation: Chemical Analyzer, LOD/LOQ = 10.0 mg/dL
- Confirmation: Color test (dipstick) for abnormal postmortem glucose concentrations
- Postmortem vitreous glucose levels above 125 mg/dL are considered abnormal.
- Postmortem urine levels above 100 mg/dL are considered abnormal.
Hemoglobin A1c: Blood
- Quantitation: Chemical Analyzer
- Hemoglobin A1c blood levels above 6% are considered abnormal. Hemoglobin A1c testing is performed when Vitreous glucose level ≥ 125 mg/dL or Urine glucose level ≥ 100 mg/dL or upon request.
Assay Type | Target Analyte | Cutoff |
---|---|---|
Amphetamines/Methamphetamines | d-Methamphetamine | 250 ng/mL |
Barbiturates | Secobarbital | 100 ng/mL |
Benzodiazepines | Oxazepam | 100 ng/mL |
Buprenorphine | Buprenorphine | 5 ng/mL |
Cannabinoids | (-)-11-nor-9-Carboxy-delta-9-THC | 25 ng/mL |
Cocaines | Benzoylecgonine | 100 ng/mL |
Fentanyl | Fentanyl | 1 ng/mL |
Opiates | Morphine | 100 ng/mL |
Phencyclidine (PCP) | Phencyclidine (PCP) | 15 ng/mL |
Assay Type | Target Analyte | Cutoff |
---|---|---|
Barbiturates | Secobarbital | 30 ng/mL |
Benzodiazepines | Oxazepam | 20 ng/mL |
Cannabinoids | (-)-11-nor-9-Carboxy-delta-9-THC | 15 ng/mL |
Cocaines | Benzoylecgonine | 20 ng/mL |
Fentanyl | Fentanyl | 1 ng/mL |
Methamphetamine | d-Methamphetamine | 40 ng/mL |
Opiates | Morphine | 20 ng/mL |
Phencyclidine (PCP) | Phencyclidine (PCP) | 20 ng/mL |
General Drug Screen: Any specimen type
- Screening: GC/MS and LC/QTOF for basic and acidic/neutral drugs
- Includes many classes of abused drugs, prescription drugs, and over the counter drugs.
Drug Confirmation: Any specimen type
- GC/MS or LC/MS/MS
- Abused or impairing drugs will be quantitated, as appropriate
- Other drugs may be reported qualitatively
- All reported drugs are confirmed. No presumptive positives are reported.