Citation

Himes SK, Scheidweiler KB, Beck O, Gorelick DA, Desrosiers NA, Huestis MA. Clin. Chem. 2013; 59(12): 1780-1789.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, American Association for Clinical Chemistry)

DOI

10.1373/clinchem.2013.207407

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), 11-nor- 9-carboxy-THC (THCCOOH), and cannabinol (CBN) were measured in breath following controlled cannabis smoking to characterize the time course and windows of detection of breath cannabinoids.

METHODS: Exhaled breath was collected from chronic (≥4 times per week) and occasional (
RESULTS: THCwas the major cannabinoid in breath; no sample contained THCCOOH and only 1 contained CBN. Among chronic smokers (n=13), all breath samples were positive for THC at 0.89 h, 76.9% at 1.38 h, and 53.8% at 2.38 h, and only 1 sample was positive at 4.2 h after smoking. Among occasional smokers (n = 11), 90.9% of breath samples were THC-positive at 0.95 h and 63.6% at 1.49 h.Oneoccasional smoker had no detectable THC. Analyte recovery from breath pads by methanolic extraction was 84.2%-97.4%. Limits of quantification were 50 pg/pad for THC and CBN and 100 pg/pad for THCCOOH. Solid-phase extraction efficiency was 46.6%-52.1% (THC) and 76.3%-83.8% (THCCOOH, CBN). Matrix effects were -34.6% to 12.3%. Cannabinoids fortified onto breath pads were stable (≤18.2% concentration change) for 8 h at room temperature and -20°C storage for 6 months.

CONCLUSIONS: Breath may offer an alternative matrix for identifying recent driving under the influence of cannabis, but currently sensitivity is limited to a short detection window (0.5-2 h). © 2013 American Association for Clinical Chemistry.

Keywords: Cannabis impaired driving

Language: en

Keywords

Adult; Humans; Female; Male; adult; human; Young Adult; female; male; Cannabis; cannabis; cannabinoid; Cannabinoids; tetrahydrocannabinol; article; cannabis smoking; Marijuana Smoking; accuracy; Breath Tests; cannabinol; Chromatography, Liquid; clinical article; controlled study; diagnostic test accuracy study; exhalation; glucuronidation; hydrolysis; Limit of Detection; limit of quantitation; liquid chromatography; methanol; room temperature; sensitivity and specificity; solid phase extraction; tandem mass spectrometry; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; tetrahydrocannabinolic acid