Ride the Storm: Navigating Through Unstable Periods / Katerina Rudko (Belka G...
final edited thc abstract
1. Development of a portable HPLC as a tool for onsite accurate
analysis of THC in oral fluid
Leslie Howard, Suranga M. Rajapaksha and Todd Mlsna
The legalization of marijuana is becoming increasingly popular in many
states, resultingin a growing and unmetdemand for onsite, law
enforcementtesting devices that can quantify recent use. Drivingunder
the influenceof marijuanacan greatly impact onesdrivingability by
slowingthe users’ reaction time, thus detection hardwareis needed to
keep the our roads safe. Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol(THC)is the main
chemical in marijuanaresponsiblefor producingthe drugsmind-
altering effects or creating a “high.” Past studies have created methods
in which the presenceof THC can be detected onsite. With current
methodology, if THC is detected in saliva onsite, a second oral fluid
samplemust be collected and sent to a lab in order for the concentration
to be measured. This is not compatible with field sobriety tests. Weare
workingtowardsthe developmentof a portablehigh-pressure liquid
chromatography (HPLC) instrumentthat will be able to detect and
quantify THC in oral fluid on site within 10 minutes. Modelcompounds
are being tested in order to develop methods for measuringTHC with
the portable HPLC. In addition an HPLC/MSmethod has already been
developed asa reference method to compareperformancewiththe
portable HPLC.