Work place drug testing of police officers after THC exposure during large volume cannabis seizures

Doran, Gregory; Deans, Ralph; Filippis, Carlo De; Kostakis, Chris; Howitt, Julia

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2017.03.023

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Doing so, cultivators also have the advantage to remain hidden for law enforcement (8)(9)(10)(11). Most important, conditions, such as temperature, humidity, light and nutrient supply, can be optimized to obtain maximal yield of the cannabis crops with multiple growths annually (4,(12)(13)(14)(15). Mainly female flowering tops are used for consumption because of their highest concentration in Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ 9 -THC), the main component causing the mindaltering effects of the drug (16,17).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of data preprocessings for the comparison of GC–MS chemical profiles of seized cannabis samples

Slosse

Durme

Samyn

et al. 2020

Forensic Science International

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of data preprocessings for the comparison of GC–MS chemical profiles of seized cannabis samples

Slosse

Durme

Samyn

et al. 2020

Forensic Science International

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“…Those methods are not suitable for the analysis of contact traces of cannabis because the amounts of sample required are much higher, typically 100–300 mg [ 15 , 16 , 17 ]. Only a few procedures have been described for the detection and quantification of THC in surfaces so far and have been generally addressed to the evaluation of the exposure to cannabis on work surfaces [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ]. Those methods allow the detection and quantification of THC (LOQ, 5 ng/mL) with analyte detectability similar to that of the present approach, but they involve wiping larger areas (which may not always be possible) and multiple extraction/evaporation of the extracts (3 × 8 mL of methanol followed by evaporation to dryness).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Finally, the extracts are analysed, typically by liquid chromatography (LC) coupled on-line to mass spectrometry (MS). This has been the approach used for the analysis of traces of cannabis on police station work surfaces as well as in the clothes and hands of workers involved in the custody and/or destruction of drug seizures for assessing the levels of exposure to THC [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]. Multiple extraction and recombination of the extracts followed by solvent evaporation is necessary in order to reach the required sensitivity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The method is based on the employment of cotton swabs for collecting the suspected sample, the extraction of the cannabinoids by treating the cotton swabs in an ultrasonic bath, and the direct processing of the extracts by IT-SPEM-nanoLC. Cotton swabs were selected for sampling, as it is the methodology commonly used to collect residues of drugs from surfaces [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]. Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and cannabinol (CBN) were the target analytes selected; for quantitative purposes, THC was the only compound used because it was the predominant cannabinoid in plants.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Analysis of Contact Traces of Cannabis by In-Tube Solid-Phase Microextraction Coupled to Nanoliquid Chromatography

et al. 2018

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Because of its inherent qualities, in-tube solid-phase microextraction (IT-SPME) coupled on-line to nanoliquid chromatography (nanoLC) can be a very powerful tool to address the new challenges of analytical laboratories such as the analysis of traces of complex samples. This is the case of the detection of contact traces of drugs, especially cannabis. The main difficulties encountered in the analysis of traces of cannabis plants on surfaces are the low amount of sample available (typically < 1 mg), the complexity of the matrix, and the low percentages of cannabinoic compounds in the samples. In this work, a procedure is described for the detection of residues of cannabis on different surfaces based on the responses obtained by IT-SPME coupled to nanoLC with UV diode array detection (DAD) for the cannabinoids Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and cannabinol (CBN); the proposed conditions can also be applied for quantitative purposes through the measurement of the percentage of THC, the most abundant cannabinoid in plants. The method is based on collecting the suspected drug samples with cotton swabs, followed by the extraction of the target compounds by ultrasound assisted extraction. The extracts are then separated and processed by IT-SPME-nanoLC. The proposed approach has been applied to the detection of traces of cannabis in different kind of items (plastic bags, office paper, aluminum foil, cotton cloths, and hand skin). Sample amounts as low as 0.08 mg have been collected and analysed for THC. The selectivity and effect of the storage conditions on the levels of THC have also been evaluated. The percentages of THC in the samples typically ranged from 0.6% to 2.8%, which means that amounts of this compound as low as 1–2 µg were adequately detected and quantified. For the first time, the reliability of IT-SPME-nanoLC for the analysis of complex matrices such as cannabis plant extracts has been demonstrated.

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“…Inadvertent tetrahydrocannabinol exposure in acute doses may cause anxiety, panic or psychotic episodes. Abundant surface contamination with tetrahydrocannabinol observed at illicit indoor grow houses, outdoor recreational cannabis farms and during cannabis seizures and processing by law enforcement personnel [20,69,82,83]. The widespread contamination in these operations presents a potential biological hazard through ingestion, absorption and inhalation.…”

Section: Volatile Organic Compoundsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Occupational health and safety in cannabis production: an Australian perspective

Davidson

Reed

Oosthuizen

et al. 2018

International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health

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The legal Australian cannabis industry has been rapidly expanding due to increased awareness of the plant's therapeutic potential, as well its diverse range of applications including biofuel, textiles, building materials, food, nutritional supplement, and animal feed. The objective of this paper is to describe the current landscape of the commercial Australian cannabis industry, summarise occupational health and safety (OHS) hazards in cannabisrelated working environments, and provide suggestions for safeguarding worker health and well-being in this emerging industry.A comprehensive search of peer-reviewed and grey literature published between 1900 and 2017 was undertaken to identify case studies and original epidemiological research on OHS hazards associated with the cannabis cultivation and the manufacture of cannabis-based products. The review found that the majority of OHS studies were undertaken in the hemp textile industry during the late twentieth century, with a small number of articles published from a variety of occupational environments including forensic laboratories and recreational marijuana farms. Cannabis harvesting and initial processing is labour intensive, and presents a physical hazard Depending on the operation, workers may also be exposed to a variety of biological, chemical, and physical hazards including: organic dusts, bioaerosols, pollen/allergens, volatile organic compounds, psychoactive substances (tetrahydrocannabinol [THC])), noise, and ultraviolet radiation.Little research has been undertaken on the exposure to inhalable organic dust and other bioaerosols during the commercial cultivation and manufacture of cannabis-based products. Furthermore, there is an absence of Australian-based research and OHS guidance materials to help professionals develop risk management strategies in this evolving industry.

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Work place drug testing of police officers after THC exposure during large volume cannabis seizures

Cited by 10 publications

References 19 publications

Evaluation of data preprocessings for the comparison of GC–MS chemical profiles of seized cannabis samples

Evaluation of data preprocessings for the comparison of GC–MS chemical profiles of seized cannabis samples

Analysis of Contact Traces of Cannabis by In-Tube Solid-Phase Microextraction Coupled to Nanoliquid Chromatography

Occupational health and safety in cannabis production: an Australian perspective

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