Process for determining specific gravity of adulterants in urine employing an automatic analyzer

{
  "publication_number": "US5753451A",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A",
  "title": "Process for determining specific gravity of adulterants in urine employing an automatic analyzer",
  "abstract": "An automatic analyzer is used to determine out of range specific gravity of adulterants in a urine sample. An aliquot of the urine is mixed with a buffer and ion detector and thereafter with a polymer activator for ion detection. The mixture is analyzed by setting a spectrophotometer in the automatic analyzer at about 600 nanometers, setting the calibrating value for specific gravity at 1.000 and 1.0500 and reading a color change to determine the presence of adulterants.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A process employing an automatic analyzer to determine specific gravity outside of normal range on a urine sample, comprising: (a) mixing an aliquot of the urine sample with a divalent buffer in an aqueous solution containing at lest 0.1% by weight surfactants to form a first mixture, (b) thereafter, mixing the first mixture with methyl vinyl ether/maleic anhydride, at least 0.1% by weight surfactants and a color indicator to form a second mixture, (c) placing the second mixture into a cuvette within the automatic analyzer, (c) setting a spectrophotometer in the automatic analyzer for reading at about 600 nanometers, (e) setting a calibrating value for specific gravity in the automatic analyzer between 1.000 and 1.0500, and (f) reading a color change to determine a presence of an out of normal range specific gravity below 1.005 or above 1.030 in the urine sample with a sensitivity of ± 0.001.",
    "2. The process according to claim 1 wherein the first mixture is obtained by mixing with the urine, an aqueous solution of potassium phosphate, sodium phosphate, sodium azide, and the surfactant octoxynol.",
    "3. the process according to claim 1 wherein at least one surfactant added to the first mixture is polyoxyethylene 23 lauryl ether.",
    "4. The process according to claim 1 wherein the pH of the first mixture is adjusted to between 6.85 and 6.90.",
    "5. The process according to claim 1 wherein isopropanol and water are added to the second mixture in step (b).",
    "6. The process according to claim 5 wherein the color indicator is bromethymol blue and a surfactant added is polyoxyethylene 23 lauryl ether.",
    "7. The method of quantitatively determining out of normal range specific gravity of a urine sample comprising: (a) mixing the urine sample with a divalent buffer in an aqueous solution containing at least 0.1% by weight surfactants to form a first mixture, (b) mixing the first mixture with methyl vinyl ether/maleic anhydride, at least 0.1% by weight surfactants and a color indicator to form a second mixture, (c) placing the second mixture into a cuvette within an automatic analyzer, (d) setting a spectrophotometer in the automatic analyzer for reading at about 600 nanometers, (e) setting a calibrating value for specific gravity in the automatic analyzer between 1.000 and 1.0500, and (f) reading a color change to quantitatively determine a presence or absence of an out of normal range specific gravity below 1.005 or above 1.030 in the urine sample with a sensitivity of ±0.001."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This application is a continuation from Ser. No. 08/497,641, filed Jun. 30, 1995, which is a continuation-in-part from application Ser. No. 08/276,502, filed Jul. 18, 1994, which is a continuation from Ser. No. 07/700,713, filed May 16, 1991, all now abandoned.\n\nThis invention relates to a single reagent system for use in determining the specific gravity in urine, or other fluids, being screened for drugs of abuse. This invention is particularly useful in automated analyzers used in screening for drugs of abuse.\n\nAs the use of illicit drugs in the workplace, public transportation, professional and amateur athletics and the like has grown, public concern for the health and safety of individuals, as well as concern for the negative impact of such drug use on productivity of industry, and its inherent economic impact, and the general well being and health of the community at large has grown as well. Such concern has led to the use of analysis of urine as a way to detect and deter drug use. Such testing for drugs of abuse in industry, as for prospective and current employees, military personnel, transportation employees, professional and amateur atheletes, as well as people under supervision of the criminal justice system, has become a relative common occurence.\n\nBecause of the intrusive nature of such testing, commonly performed by examining a urine sample, the testing procedure must withstand vigorous scrutiny. As a positive test result of screening for drugs of abuse may have serious impact on the life of a person being tested, the incentive for the drug user to alter the test specimen is high.",
  "cpc": [
    "G01N 33/94"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G01N 33/94"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Chimera Research and Chemical Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Jack V. Smith"
  ],
  "filing_date": "1997-01-17",
  "publication_date": "1998-05-19",
  "grant_date": "1998-05-19",
  "priority_date": "1991-05-16",
  "application_number": "US-78611897-A",
  "family_id": "27402825",
  "cited_by_count": 18,
  "citations": [
    "US4376827A",
    "US4318709A",
    "US4590800A",
    "US5179027A",
    "US5302531A",
    "US5320969A",
    "US5350694A"
  ]
}