First, we sought to identify changes in
benzoylecgonine concentrations that could be indicative of cocaine abstinence and thus available for reinforcement.
Development of a multisyringe flow system for the on-line solid phase extraction in the determination of cocaine and
benzoylecgonine in urine.
The investigators assessed cocaine use during the study through patient self-report and measurements of
benzoylecgonine, a long-acting metabolite of cocaine in the urine.
Samples exceeding the assay cutoff values (cannabinoid, 50 ng/ mL;
benzoylecgonine, 300 ng/mL; opiate, 300 ng/mL) were confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
The 22-year-old former Bradford player provided a sample containing
Benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, after a Championship match against Featherstone in March.
By using the corresponding specific antibodies, the scientists were able to detect THC (the main active component of marijuana),
benzoylecgonine (the primary metabolite of cocaine), and methadone and the primary metabolite of methadone in the fingerprints of test subjects.
Cocaine and
benzoylecgonine also accumulate in meconium, which is produced in midpregnancy, so a positive meconium test is an indication of use earlier in pregnancy.
Interpreting the color effect of melanin on cocaine and
benzoylecgonine assays for hair analysis: Brown and black samples compared, Journal of Clinical Forensic Medicine (2007) 14:7-15.
Cocaine and its metabolite
benzoylecgonine accumulate in fetal hair during the last trimester, so a positive test is a strong indicator the mother used cocaine during the sixth or seventh months.
Cocaine is extensively metabolized, forming the metabolites
benzoylecgonine, ecgonine methyl ester, and ecgonine.
Benzoylecgonine, or BE, is a by-product of cocaine metabolism It finds its way into the sewerage system and rivers through urine.
As part of our continuing effort to improve methods for the confirmation of abused drugs in urine, we have developed a very accurate and precise automated test method for
benzoylecgonine, the primary metabolite of cocaine, using HP's PrepStation," says Bruce Goldberger, a toxicologist at the National Center for Forensic Science, Baltimore.