On-site test for cannabinoids in oral fluid

Area of Science:

• Forensic Science
• Toxicology
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Oral fluid (OF) drug testing offers a non-invasive method for on-site drug screening.
• Current tests for Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) often lack sufficient diagnostic sensitivity for accurate cannabis detection.
• Accurate on-site cannabis testing is crucial due to its high prevalence in workplace and driving under the influence (DUID) programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the diagnostic performance of the Draeger DrugTest 5000 for detecting Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in oral fluid.
• To determine optimal confirmation analytes and cutoffs for oral fluid THC testing to meet diverse drug testing program needs.
• To assess the duration of THC detection in oral fluid following cannabis smoking.

Main Methods:

• Ten participants smoked a 6.8% THC cigarette.
• Oral fluid samples were collected using the Draeger DrugTest 5000 and Quantisal devices at various time points up to 22 hours post-smoking.
• Test cassettes were analyzed rapidly, while Quantisal samples underwent GC-MS confirmation for THC and its metabolites.

Main Results:

• The DrugTest 5000 demonstrated high diagnostic sensitivity (86.2-90.7%) and specificity (75.0-77.8%) at a 5 microg/L screening cutoff.
• Detection times extended beyond 22 hours when confirming 11-nor-9-carboxy-THC, suitable for workplace testing.
• Confirmation of other cannabinoids yielded shorter detection windows (6 hours), appropriate for DUID testing.

Conclusions:

• The DrugTest 5000 offers high diagnostic sensitivity for detecting cannabinoid exposure via oral fluid.
• Selecting appropriate confirmation analytes and cutoffs allows for tailored detection windows to suit different drug testing objectives.
• This on-site device and optimized testing strategy enhance the reliability of cannabis detection in oral fluid.