Analysis of opiates in urine after consumption of products with poppy seed

Abstract

This study presents the case of opiate analysis in urine of two female participants, aged between 20 and 25 who consumed commonly available bakery products with poppy seeds. One of the participants consumed strudel, the product with larger amount of poppy seeds, while the other consumed braid pastry. Urine samples of both participants (n=8) were collected 5, 12, 24, 30, 36, 48, 60 and 72 h after the consummation. Immunochromatographic screening test (cuttof 300 ng/mL) and LC-MS analysis were preformed on the presence of opiates. The screening test for opiates was positive for a very long period of time, 48 h after the consumption of braid pastry and even 72 h after the consumption of strudel. LC-MS analysis verified the results of screening test and the presence of the main opioide alcaloides, morphine and codeine, was confirmed in all positive samples. Determined morphine level was higher than the level of codeine in all samples. The concentration of morphine (0.25 mg/L) was higher in urine of the participant who consumed strudel, compared to the concentration of morphine (0.06 mg/L) after the consumption of braid pastry. The results of this research show that opiates can be found in urine after the consumption of products which contain poppy seed. Morphine and codeine can be detected even during the same time period as in the samples of users of psychoactive substances (3 days and longer). According to the results, retention time of opiates in urine is longer after the consumption of products with higher amounts of poppy. This finding should be taken into account in routine testing of employees in the workplace, members of the military, students in schools, as well as athletes.

U ovom radu je prikazan slučaj dve osobe ženskog pola starosti između 20 i 25 godina, koje su konzumirale široko dostupne pekarske proizvode sa makom, sa ciljem da se izvrši analiza opijata u urinu. Jedna osoba je konzumirala štrudlu a druga pletenicu, s tim da je štrudla vizuelno sadržala veću količinu maka. Uzorci urina od obe osobe (po 8 uzoraka) su sakupljeni nakon 5, 12, 24, 30, 36, 48, 60 i 72 sata od konzumacije. Urađena je imunohromatografska i LC/MS analiza na prisustvo opijata. Rezultati imunohromatografske analize su pokazali da je test na opijate (cuttof 300 ng/mL) bio pozitivan u veoma dugom vremenskom periodu, 48 sati nakon konzumacije pletenice i čak 72 sata nakon konzumacije štrudle. LC-MS analizom su potvrđeni rezultati dobijeni preliminarnim testom i u svim pozitivnim uzorcima je dokazano prisustvo glavnih opijatnih alkaloida, morfina i kodeina. Koncentracija morfina je bila veća od koncentracije kodeina u svim uzorcima. Uočena je veća koncentracija morfina (0,25 mg/L) u urinu osobe koja je konzumirala štrudlu u odnosu na koncentraciju morfina (0,06 mg/L) nakon konzumacije pletenice. Rezultati ovog rada potvrđuju da se opijati nalaze u urinu nakon konzumacije proizvoda sa makom i da ih je moguće detektovati čak tokom istog vremenskog perioda kao i kod korisnika psihoaktivnih supstanci, tri dana, i više. Takođe, prema dobijenim rezultatima vreme zadržavanja opijata u urinu je duže nakon konzumacije proizvoda sa većom količinom maka. Navedene rezultate treba imati u vidu prilikom rutinskih testiranja zaposlenih na radnom mestu, pripadnika vojske, učenika u školama i sportista.