Effects of Stealth adulterant on immunoassay testing for drugs of abuse.

Abstract

Stealth is an adulterant advertised as being undetectable by adulteration tests. It has been described as peroxidase and peroxide, which, when added to urine samples, are intended to prevent a positive drug test. Characterization of the effect of Stealth on urine samples and immunoassay results was undertaken to assist in detection of this adulterant. Stealth was added to a number of urine matrices, and various parameters were evaluated including pH, specific gravity, color, creatinine, chloride, urea, blood, glucose, and nitrite. Samples were spiked with THC acid metabolite, benzoylecgonine, morphine, secobarbital, PCP, amphetamine, and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) then tested by Roche OnLine and Microgenics CEDIA immunoassay reagents. Results of these analyses showed Stealth did not cause the urine sample to exceed any of the monitored parameters including those routinely used in drug-testing laboratories that would indicate adulteration of a sample. It did, however, cause samples positive for the marijuana metabolite (11-nor-delta9-tetrahydrocannibinol-9-carboxylic acid), LSD, and opiate (morphine) at 125-150% of cutoff to screen negative by immunoassay. Adulterating an authentic positive sample provided by a marijuana user caused that sample to screen negative using these immunoassay reagents as well.