Increasing effort has been made to identify drug users by examining their dermal surface. The term sweat-testing is misleading, because drugs, detectable on the skin, cannot only be excreted by sweat-glands. The excretion of drugs through the skin is also possible by sebaceous glands (perspiratio sensibilis) or transdermal liquid transport (perspiratio insensibilis). Two general procedures of sweat testing have been developed: the collection of samples with so-called sweat-patches (e.g. Pharmchem, Sudormed) and a drug-swipe device (Drugwipe). The patches are typically in contact with skin for 1 to 7 days, then extracted and examined for drugs by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Benzodiazepines, opioides, cocaine, amphetamines, barbiturates, and PCP have already been subject of studies. The number of drugs that are known to be detectable is increasing steadily. The amount of drugs collected on one patch is generally in the range of 0-500 ng.
Samenvatting