Composition and method for detecting an adulterant in an aqueous sample

Abstract

It is discovered that a composition comprising at least one amine and at least one stabilizer may be useful in detecting the presence of an adulterant in a urine sample. Such adulterant includes an oxidizing agent.

1 - 64 . (cancelled)  
     
     
         65 . A method for determining whether a urine sample has been adulterated by an oxidizing agent which interferes with detection of a drug or metabolite thereof present in the urine sample, comprising 
 contacting a urine sample with a reagent composition, the reagent composition comprising an amine reagent which reacts with an oxidizing agent which interferes with detection of a drug or metabolite thereof in the urine sample; and    spectrophotometrically detecting a color signal produced by the amine reagent upon reaction with the oxidizing agent if the oxidizing agent is present in the urine sample, wherein a detectable signal indicates the urine sample has been adulterated with the oxidizing agent.    
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the urine sample is from a person undergoing a drug screening test.  
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the amine reagent comprises an aromatic ring.  
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 67 , wherein the aromatic ring is a phenyl ring.  
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 68 , wherein said phenyl ring is a substituted phenyl ring.  
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the amine reagent is N,N-diethylphenylene diamine.  
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the oxidizing agent is an agent selected from the group consisting of transition metals, nitrites, peroxides, halites, hypohalites, salts thereof, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein the oxidizing agent interferes with the detection of an illegal drug used by the person.  
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the reagent composition further comprises a stabilizer which enhances a time the color signal is detectable relative to a substantially identical reagent composition without the stabilizer.  
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the detecting comprises detecting a signal at a wavelength from about 470 nm to about 604 nm.  
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the detecting comprises detecting a signal at a wavelength from about 408 nm to about 420 nm.  
     
     
         76 . A method for detecting the presence of an oxidizing agent adulterant in a urine sample, the method comprising: 
 combining a urine sample with a reagent composition, the reagent composition comprising an amine reagent which reacts with an oxidizing agent which interferes with detection of a drug or metabolite thereof in the urine sample, and    detecting a signal produced by interaction of the amine reagent with an oxidizing agent adulterant which was added to the urine sample before the urine sample was combined with the reagent composition.    
     
     
         77 . A reagent composition for determining whether a urine sample has been adulterated by an oxidizing agent which interferes with detection of a drug or metabolite thereof present in the urine sample, comprising an amine reagent which reacts with an oxidizing agent present in the urine sample to produce a spectrophotometrically detectable color signal if present in the urine sample, wherein said oxidizing agent interferes with detection of a drug or metabolite thereof in the urine sample.  
     
     
         78 . The composition of  claim 77 , further comprising a stabilizer which enhances a time the color signal is detectable relative to a substantially identical reagent composition without the stabilizer.  
     
     
         79 . The composition of  claim 77 , wherein the amine reagent comprises an aromatic ring.  
     
     
         80 . The composition of  claim 79 , wherein the aromatic ring is a phenyl ring.  
     
     
         81 . The composition of  claim 80 , wherein the phenyl ring is a substituted phenyl ring.  
     
     
         82 . The composition of  claim 77 , wherein the amine reagent is N,N-diethylphenylene diamine.  
     
     
         83 . The composition of  claim 77 , wherein the amine reagent reacts with an oxidizing agent selected from the group consisting of transition metals, nitrites, peroxides, halites, hypohalites, salts thereof, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         84 . The composition of  claim 77 , wherein the amine reagent reacts with an oxidizing agent effective in interfering with the detection of an illegal drug.  
     
     
         85 . The composition of  claim 77 , wherein the amine reagent produces a detectable signal at a wavelength from about 470 nm to about 604 nm when reacted with the oxidizing agent present in the urine sample.  
     
     
         86 . The composition of  claim 77 , wherein the amine reagent produces a detectable signal at a wavelength from about 408 nm to about 420 nm when reacted with the oxidizing agent present in the urine sample.  
     
     
         87 . The composition of  claim 77  in combination with a urine sample obtained from a person undergoing a drug screening test.