B-412 A novel approach to detect synthetic urine simultaneously with drug confirmation by LC-MS/MS

Abstract

Background The widespread availability of affordable synthetic urine in the market that can pass traditional specimen validity criteria has been a rising issue of concern in recent days. These synthetic products visually appear natural and possess normal creatinine, pH, specific gravity, urea, uric acid, and urobilinogen. Many of these products has artificial urinator that can be wrapped on the waist and has heat activators to mimic physiological temperature. Therefore, current specimen validity criteria are ineffective for detecting these synthetic urines needing novel approach. Methods We developed a tandem mass spectrometric assay for the simultaneous quantification of metabolites of catecholamines in urine along with drug confirmation. The presence of these substances in urine is a strong indicator of urine from biological sources and can be potentially used to differentiate fake synthetic urine. An algorithm based on the metabolites of catecholamines are used to identify synthetic urine (gnosis verified). A total of 12 different commercially available synthetic urine was evaluated to determine its efficiency along with 230 healthy human urine samples. Results All tested commercial synthetic urine pass conventional validity test including creatinine, pH and specific gravity but failed for gnosis verified while all samples from healthy urine sample passed. We identified a total of 54 synthetic urine over a period of year of which 30 samples were negative for all tested drugs including cotinine. Remaining samples were positive for various drugs including alprazolam, buprenorphine, oxycodone and hydrocodone apparently spiked directly into the synthetic urine as indicated by absence of metabolites. Conclusion Simultaneous identification of synthetic urine in LC-MS/MS run of drug confirmation is cost-effective, efficient and novel approach to detect adulteration of sample. Presence of metabolites of catecholamine in urine is a strong indicator of urine from biological source and can be potentially used to differentiate fake synthetic urine.