Long-term stability of various drugs and metabolites in urine, and preventive measures against their decomposition with special attention to filtration sterilization

Abstract

The long-term stability of drugs and metabolites of forensic interest in urine, and preventive measures against their decomposition have been investigated, with special attention to filtration sterilization. An aseptic urine collection kit, which was recently developed based on filtration sterilization, was utilized for the aseptic collection and storage of urine samples. For evaluating preservation measures, methamphetamine (MA), amphetamine (AP), nitrazepam (NZ), estazolam (EZ), 7-aminoflunitrazepam (7AF), cocaine (COC), and 6-acetylmorphine (6AM) were spiked into urine at 500 ng/mL each, and were monitored for 6 months at 25, 4, and −20 °C, after the addition of NaN 3 and/or filtration sterilization using the aseptic collection kit. In severely contaminated urine with bacteria, there were significant losses of 7AF and NZ, and slight decomposition of MA and AP at 25 °C. However, such degradation was successfully suppressed by the use of the kit, though the use of the kit and NaN 3 were preferred for 7AF. The kit was also effective in preventing the hydrolyses of COC and 6AM, while it was suggested that the common preservative NaN 3 can accelerate the hydrolysis of such ester-type drugs and metabolites.