Problems of Forensic Sciences 2006 Vol. 66 (LXVI) 140-153
DETERMINATION OF NICOTINE, COTININE AND CAFFEINE IN STANDARD AND ALTERNATIVE BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL – USEFULNESS IN CLINICAL AND FORENSIC TOXICOLOGY
Marek WIERGOWSKI1, Livia NOWAK-BANASIK2, Zbigniew JANKOWSKI1, Anna MORKOWSKA1, Jacek SEIN ANAND2
1Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical Academy, Gdańsk, Poland
2Department and Clinic of Internal Diseases of Geriatrics and Clinical Toxicology, Medical Academy, Gdańsk, Poland
Streszczenie
The aim of the work was to develop a reliable procedure for determining nicotine, cotinine and also caffeine in standard biological materials (blood, urine) and also alternative ones (saliva). An attempt was made to assess the usefulness of these determinations in forensic and clinical toxicology. Selection of biological material for chemo-toxicological study should be made depending on the aim of the study. The optimum material for study of current concentration of nicotine, cotinine and caffeine in the organism of a living person is saliva, which will most probably replace blood. For analysis of the latter requires use of an invasive method of collection, which is linked to risk. Distinguishing between active and passive smokers is possible on the basis of comparison of cotinine concentrations in urine; this distinction can then be confirmed by determining content of nicotine and cotinine in hair. Cotinine seems to be the optimum biomarker of smoking, fulfilling requirements of specificity and determinability with a relatively broad time range (window) of detectability. In the case of assessment of consumption of products rich in caffeine, it is sufficient to study its unmetabolised form. For differentiation between passive and active smokers, liquid chromatography with spectrophotometric detection (HPLC/UV-DAD) can be used.
Słowa kluczowe
Nicotine; Cotinine; Biomarkers of smoking tobacco; Traditional and alternative biological materials; Chemo-toxicological analysis; Caffeine.