Development of an Analytical Approach to the Specimens Collected from Victims of Sexual Assault

The objective of this study was to develop a screening process for the analysis of sexual assault samples. Recently, the Society of Forensic Toxicologists created a committee to address the issue of drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) in the toxicology field. This committee prepared a list of dru...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of analytical toxicology 2004-09, Vol.28 (6), p.400-406
Main Authors: Juhascik, Matthew, Lan Le, Ngog, Tomlinson, Kimberly, Moore, Christine, Gaensslen, R.E., Negrusz, Adam
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Female
Forensic Medicine
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
General aspects. Methods
Humans
Indicators and Reagents
Male
Medical sciences
Pharmaceutical Preparations - analysis
Pharmaceutical Preparations - urine
Rape - diagnosis
Rape - statistics & numerical data
Street Drugs - analysis
Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology
Substance-Related Disorders - urine
Toxicology
Urinalysis
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Summary:The objective of this study was to develop a screening process for the analysis of sexual assault samples. Recently, the Society of Forensic Toxicologists created a committee to address the issue of drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) in the toxicology field. This committee prepared a list of drugs that could be, or have been, used in DFSAs. The list comprises about 50 compounds, including illicit, prescription, and over-the-counter drugs. Using this list, our laboratory wanted an easy, fast, and sensitive method to analyze a urine sample for all 50 of these drugs. We screened and confirmed for 20 compounds, including cocaine, amphetamines, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, opiates, methadone, alcohol, and PCP. A gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric screening method that was able to detect the remaining 30 compounds following 1 extraction and using only 2 mL of urine was developed. The process is inexpensive and uses equipment available in most forensic toxicology laboratories. This method is recommended for any laboratory that commonly receives specimens collected from sexual assault victims and is interested in a more thorough analysis.
ISSN:0146-4760
1945-2403
DOI:10.1093/jat/28.6.400