PRACTICES BY MARCIA DYER, NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER, BEST AMERICAN THERMAL INSTRUMENTS
When Temperature Matters Getting the
C
onduct a Google search on urine drug testing and temperature, and you will find a plethora of web sites with
hints on how to “fool the system.” I should know. When I conducted research about how temperature could affect the accuracy of a drug test, it was hard to find anything but suggestions on how to pass off clean urine. As procedures for specimen collection
become more disciplined and lab analysis technology becomes more sophisticated, the percentage of people who are caught trying to beat the system will increase. Some will be caught during the collection process. Others will be exposed at the lab. Even some of the websites that offer suggestions for cheating acknowledge this. As we all know, the Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Prevention Urine Specimen Collection Handbook has a number of required steps to assure that a sample is collected correctly, and is consistent for forensic requirements. Obviously, it is impossible to outline all of the requirements in this article. However, we can detail how important it is to maintain temperature controls as they relate to storing collection devices, and monitoring specimens as they are collected.
right temperature When urine is ready to be collected, the collector supervising the process will ask the candidate to: proceed to the room used for urination; provide a specimen of ample quantity; not flush the toilet; and return with the specimen as soon as possible aſter completing the void. Tis last piece is especially important—the collector must tell the person that the temperature of the specimen is a critical factor. As soon as the specimen is handed from the donor to the collector, the volume of the sample must be checked and the temperature must be taken—no more than four minutes aſter the donor leaves the restroom. Temperature is determined by reading a temperature strip originally affixed to, or placed on the outside of the collection container aſter the donor gives the collection container with the specimen to the collector. Under normal situations, fresh urine will display a temperature between 90 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit on the temperature strip, if read within four minutes of the collection. Should the temperature strip not register,
the specimen should be immediately re-checked using a new cup (or strip) and the results recorded on the requisition. Temperatures outside these values suggest that a substitute specimen was provided. So, while people can easily buy synthetic urine, hiding and using it to successfully pass a drug test is more difficult. If the temperature is within the
acceptable range, the collector checks the “Yes” box on the Federal Drug Testing Custody and Control Form (CCF) and proceeds with the collection procedure. Any specimen temperature that is out of range requires the specimen temperature box to be checked “No,” and the collector must describe the findings concerning
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the temperature. Te collector must also immediately collect a new specimen using direct observation procedures, and send both specimens to the laboratory. While temperature is a very good
indicator of whether the urine sample is genuine, the collector must still inspect the specimen for unusual color, foreign objects or material, and other signs of tampering or adulteration. There are many different household contaminants that can make the sample bubbly, foamy, cloudy; or offer other visual conditions. Many of these contaminants are detected by on-site or laboratory analyses— including pH, creatinine, and specific gravity tests. Te CCF has two tamper-evident labels/
seals that are used to seal a single specimen botle or two split specimen botles. If the label is strong enough and properly affixed, moisture, temperature, or the specimen itself should not affect it. Both the collector and donor will
maintain visual contact with the specimen to the greatest extent possible until the labels/seals are placed over the specimen botle caps/lids. Te collector or collection site must ensure that each specimen collected is shipped to a laboratory as quickly as possible, but in every case within 24 hours or during the next business day. While drug testing for the normal
constituents in urine can be very sensitive and require very constrained temperature limits, tests for illicit drugs are not typically as sensitive. Te combination of immunoassay screening with confirmation by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) makes the possibility of error extremely remote. Before testing, most test devices must
be kept at room temperature 15–30°C (59–86°F), and not exposed to extreme heat or cold. While these are general
summer 2017
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