Abstract
The aims of this chapter are to give the reader a good insight into the practical preanalytical aspects of hair testing and also to inform about the different screening strategies that can be used. The chain of events leading up to the accurate interpretation of results starts already at the sampling site but this chapter will focus on the preparation of hair samples, performed at the laboratory, to ensure a valid result. This includes segmentation, homogenization, and the extraction of drugs from the hair matrix. After extraction, screening of drugs and medications is usually performed and if presumptive positive a confirmatory analysis is performed. Common strategies include immunoassays that are quick, sensitive, and cost-effective. However, chromatographic techniques are used more and more particularly by forensic laboratories where the positivity rate is much higher.
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