Detection of cocaine analytes and opiates in nails from postmortem cases

Postmortem fingernail and toenail specimens were utilized for the detection of cocaine analytes and opiates. Nail clippings were obtained from suspected overdoses and/or drug users. Nail clippings were washed with methanol and then solubilized in 0.1M potassium phosphate (pH 5.0). Analytes were isolated from the solubilized nails and methanolic washes by solid-phase or liquid-liquid extraction techniques. Quantitation was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Clippings from each hand and foot were analyzed separately for comparison purposes. Concentrations of all the analytes were significantly higher in fingernails than in toenails. Cocaine analytes were detected in the nails of 15 cases with the following concentration ranges (ng/mg): cocaine (n = 15) 1.2-414.1; benzoylecgonine (n = 15) 1.4-170.3; ecgonine methyl ester (n = 14) 0.19-27.0; norcocaine (n = 12) 0.11-32.7; cocaethylene (n = 2) 0.08-2.93. Opiates were detected in 17 cases with the following concentration ranges (ng/mg): morphine (n = 15) 0.05-407.9; 6-acetylmorphine (n = 15) 0.04-504.0; codeine (n = 9) 0.06-8.84; hydromorphone (n = 4) 0.02-0.45. Oxycodone and hydrocodone were each detected in one case. The extent of drug incorporation due to external contamination was evaluated by comparing the differences in the amount of drugs detected in fingernails and toenails, along with the corresponding washes of those nails. These results demonstrate the usefulness of nails as postmortem specimens in detecting drugs of abuse.