Stability of ethyl glucuronide in urine, post-mortem tissue and blood samples

• Published in: International journal of legal medicine Vol. 120; no. 2; pp. 83 - 88
• Main Authors: Schloegl, Haiko, Dresen, Sebastian, Spaczynski, Karin, Stoertzel, Mylène, Wurst, Friedrich Martin, Weinmann, Wolfgang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Springer Nature B.V 01.03.2006
• Subjects: Adult; Alcohol; Alcohol Drinking; Autopsies; Biomarkers - analysis; Breath tests; Central Nervous System Depressants - analysis; Drug Stability; Ethanol; Ethanol - analysis; Female; Forensic Toxicology; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Glucuronates - analysis; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Liver; Liver - chemistry; Male; Middle Aged; Muscle, Skeletal - chemistry; Musculoskeletal system; Postmortem Changes; Specimen Handling; Toxicology; Urine
• ISSN: 0937-9827; 1437-1596
• DOI: 10.1007/s00414-005-0012-7

The stability of ethyl glucuronide (EtG) under conditions of degradation was examined in urine samples of nine volunteers and in post-mortem tissue (liver, skeletal muscle) and blood taken from seven corpses at autopsies. Analysis was performed via LC-MS/MS. EtG concentrations in urine samples ranged from 2.5 to 296.5 mg/l. When stored at 4 degrees C in airtight test tubes, EtG concentrations remained relatively constant; when stored at room temperature (RT) for 5 weeks in ventilated vials, variations of EtG concentrations ranged from a 30% decrease to an 80% increase, with an average of 37.5% increase. Liver and skeletal muscle tissue of three corpses with positive blood alcohol concentrations (BAC; ranging from 0.106 to 0.183 g%) were stored for 4 weeks and analysed periodically. EtG concentrations decreased 27.7% on average in 4 weeks storage at RT but EtG was still detectable in all samples with initial EtG concentrations higher than 1 mug/g. Blood and liver samples of four corpses with negative BACs were stored at RT after addition of 0.1 g% ethanol, and no new formation of EtG was observed.