Urine analysis

UDAS - (Urine Drugs Analysis System)

The Toxicology Unit has over 30 years experience in analysing urine from drug treatment centres. The unit developed a novel method of analysis, UDAS, for the simultaneous detection of major drugs of abuse, prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

The method uses gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (the gold-standard identification technique in the forensic profession) providing conclusive identification of drugs and eliminating the need for initial screening; hence being a cost-effective analysis method.

The reported results are of a standard suitable for use in court.

The method can:

• Distinguish between street heroin, diamorphine and poppy seed ingestion
• Determine if morphine is due to codeine ingestion
• Be used to detect 'unknowns'
• Detect various antidepressants, antipsychotics, anticonvulsants, over-the-counter preparations, among others - each sample is screened for approximately 50 drugs in total
• Routine screen includes buprenorphine (Subutex) and metabolites

The method has been fully validated and published in a peer-reviewed journal:

S. Paterson, R. Cordero, S. McCulloch, P. Houldsworth. Analysis of urine for drugs of abuse using mixed-mode solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Ann. Of Clin. Biochem. 2000; 37: 690-700.

Applications of UDAS

• Specific drugs of abuse screen for clients attending drug dependency clinics
• Confirmation of positive results from screening tests
• To check compliance of medication in mental health patients