Biomarkers of Alcohol Consumption in Body Fluids - Possibilities and Limitations of Application in Toxicological Analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 177-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mateusz Kacper Woźniak ◽  
Marek Wiergowski ◽  
Jacek Namieśnik ◽  
Marek Biziuk
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Forensic Toxicology ◽  
Body Fluids ◽  
Ethyl Esters ◽  
Ethyl Glucuronide ◽  
Human Organism ◽  
Analytical Toxicology ◽  
Preparation Methods ◽  
Toxicological Analysis

Background:Ethyl alcohol is the most popular legal drug, but its excessive consumption causes social problems. Despite many public campaigns against alcohol use, car accidents, instances of aggressive behaviour, sexual assaults and deterioration in labor productivity caused by inebriated people is still commonplace. Fast and easy diagnosis of alcohol consumption is required in order to introduce proper and effective therapy, and is crucial in forensic toxicology analysis. The easiest method to prove alcohol intake is determination of ethanol in body fluids or in breath. However, since ethanol is rapidly metabolized in the human organism, only recent consumption can be detected using this method. Because of that, the determination of alcohol biomarkers was introduced for monitoring alcohol consumption over a wider range of time.Objective:The objective of this study was to review published studies focusing on the sample preparation methods and chromatographic or biochemical techniques for the determination of alcohol biomarkers in whole blood, plasma, serum and urine.Methods:An electronic literature search was performed to discuss possibilities and limitations of application of alcohol biomarkers in toxicological analysis.Results:Authors described the markers of alcohol consumption such as: ethanol, its nonoxidative metabolites (ethyl glucuronide, ethyl sulfate, phosphatidylethanol, ethyl phosphate, fatty acid ethyl esters) and oxidative metabolites (acetaldehyde and acetaldehyde adducts). We also discussed issues concerning the detection window of these biomarkers, and possibilities and limitations of their use in routine analytical toxicology for monitoring alcohol consumption or sobriety during alcohol therapy.

scholarly journals Development and validation of a method for the simultaneous analysis of fatty acid ethyl esters, ethyl sulfate and ethyl glucuronide in neonatal meconium: application in two cases of alcohol consumption during pregnancy

2021 ◽  
Vol 413 (11) ◽  
pp. 3093-3105
Author(s):  
Mateusz Kacper Woźniak ◽  
Laura Banaszkiewicz ◽  
Justyna Aszyk ◽  
Marek Wiergowski ◽  
Iwona Jańczewska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters ◽  
Ethyl Esters ◽  
Ethyl Glucuronide ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Ethyl Sulfate ◽  
Analytical Approaches

AbstractAlcohol consumption during pregnancy constitutes one of the leading preventable causes of birth defects and neurodevelopmental disorders in the exposed children. Fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs), ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS) have been studied as potential biomarkers of alcohol consumption. However, most analytical approaches proposed for their analysis in meconium samples consist of separated extraction procedures requiring the use of two meconium aliquots, which is costly in terms of both time and materials. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop and validate a method for the simultaneous extraction of 9 FAEEs, EtG and EtS from one meconium aliquot. The sample was homogenized using methanol, and then FAEEs were extracted with hexane while EtG and EtS were isolated using acetonitrile. Then, extracts were applied to solid-phase extraction columns and analysed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (FAEEs) and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (EtG and EtS). Calibration curves were linear with r values greater than 0.99. The LODs ranged from 0.8 to 7.5 ng/g for FAEEs and were 0.2 ng/g and 0.8 ng/g for EtS and EtG, respectively. LOQs ranged from 5 to 25 ng/g for FAEEs and were 1 ng/g and 2.5 ng/g for EtS and EtG, respectively. Accuracies and precisions were between 93.8 and 107% and between 3.5 and 9.7%, respectively. The recovery values ranged from 89.1 to 109%. The method proved to be sensitive, specific, simple and fast and allowed for the reduction of the amount of organic solvent used for extraction compared to other published data while higher recoveries were obtained. The method was used for analysis of meconium samples in two cases of mothers who were consuming alcohol during pregnancy.

scholarly journals Human Poisoning from Poisonous Higher Fungi: Focus on Analytical Toxicology and Case Reports in Forensic Toxicology

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 454
Author(s):  
Estelle Flament ◽  
Jérôme Guitton ◽  
Jean-Michel Gaulier ◽  
Yvan Gaillard
Keyword(s):  
Analytical Methods ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Forensic Toxicology ◽  
Analytical Techniques ◽  
Ibotenic Acid ◽  
Biological Matrices ◽  
Analytical Toxicology ◽  
Fatal Poisoning ◽  
Toxicological Analysis ◽  
Chemical Structures

Several families of higher fungi contain mycotoxins that cause serious or even fatal poisoning when consumed by humans. The aim of this review is to inventory, from an analytical point of view, poisoning cases linked with certain significantly toxic mycotoxins: orellanine, α- and β-amanitin, muscarine, ibotenic acid and muscimol, and gyromitrin. Clinicians are calling for the cases to be documented by toxicological analysis. This document is therefore a review of poisoning cases involving these mycotoxins reported in the literature and carries out an inventory of the analytical techniques available for their identification and quantification. It seems indeed that these poisonings are only rarely documented by toxicological analysis, due mainly to a lack of analytical methods in biological matrices. There are many reasons for this issue: the numerous varieties of mushroom involved, mycotoxins with different chemical structures, a lack of knowledge about distribution and metabolism. To sum up, we are faced with (i) obstacles to the documentation and interpretation of fatal (or non-fatal) poisoning cases and (ii) a real need for analytical methods of identifying and quantifying these mycotoxins (and their metabolites) in biological matrices.

scholarly journals The Future of Analytical and Interpretative Toxicology: Where are We Going and How Do We Get There?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah M R Wille ◽  
Simon Elliott
Keyword(s):  
Metabolic Profile ◽  
Forensic Toxicology ◽  
Technological Innovations ◽  
Analytical Toxicology ◽  
Analytical Strategy ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Right

Abstract (Forensic) toxicology has faced many challenges, both analytically and interpretatively, especially in relation to an increase in potential drugs of interest. Analytical toxicology and its application to medicine and forensic science have progressed rapidly within the past centuries. Technological innovations have enabled detection of more substances with increasing sensitivity in a variety of matrices. Our understanding of the effects (both intended and unintended) have also increased along with determination and degree of toxicity. However, it is clear there is even more to understand and consider. The analytical focus has been on typical matrices such as blood and urine but other matrices could further increase our understanding, especially in postmortem (PM) situations. Within this context, the role of PM changes and potential redistribution of drugs requires further research and identification of markers of its occurrence and extent. Whilst instrumentation has improved, in the future, nanotechnology may play a role in selective and sensitive analysis as well as bioassays. Toxicologists often only have an advisory impact on pre-analytical and pre-interpretative considerations. The collection of appropriate samples at the right time in an appropriate way as well as obtaining sufficient circumstance background is paramount in ensuring an effective analytical strategy to provide useful results that can be interpreted within context. Nevertheless, key interpretative considerations such as pharmacogenomics and drug–drug interactions as well as determination of tolerance remain and in the future, analytical confirmation of an individual’s metabolic profile may support a personalized medicine and judicial approach. This should be supported by the compilation and appropriate application of drug data pursuant to the situation. Specifically, in PM circumstances, data pertaining to where a drug was not/may have been/was contributory will be beneficial with associated pathological considerations. This article describes the challenges faced within toxicology and discusses progress to a future where they are being addressed.

scholarly journals Clinical Sensitivity and Specificity of Meconium Fatty Acid Ethyl Ester, Ethyl Glucuronide, and Ethyl Sulfate for Detecting Maternal Drinking during Pregnancy

2015 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 523-532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah K Himes ◽  
Kimberly A Dukes ◽  
Tara Tripp ◽  
Julie M Petersen ◽  
Cheri Raffo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Standard Condition ◽  
Acid Ethyl Ester ◽  
Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Ethyl Esters ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Ethyl Glucuronide ◽  
Ethyl Sulfate ◽  
Clinical Sensitivity

Abstract BACKGROUND We investigated agreement between self-reported prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and objective meconium alcohol markers to determine the optimal meconium marker and threshold for identifying PAE. METHODS Meconium fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE), ethyl glucuronide (EtG), and ethyl sulfate (EtS) were quantified by LC-MS/MS in 0.1 g meconium from infants of Safe Passage Study participants. Detailed PAE information was collected from women with a validated timeline follow-back interview. Because meconium formation begins during weeks 12–20, maternal self-reported drinking at or beyond 19 weeks was our exposure variable. RESULTS Of 107 women, 33 reported no alcohol consumption in pregnancy, 16 stopped drinking by week 19, and 58 drank beyond 19 weeks (including 45 third-trimester drinkers). There was moderate to substantial agreement between self-reported PAE at ≥19 weeks and meconium EtG ≥30 ng/g (κ = 0.57, 95% CI 0.41–0.73). This biomarker and associated cutoff was superior to a 7 FAEE sum ≥2 nmol/g and all other individual and combination marker cutoffs. With meconium EtG ≥30 ng/g as the gold standard condition and maternal self-report at ≥19 weeks' gestation as the test condition, 82% clinical sensitivity (95% CI 71.6–92.0) and 75% specificity (95% CI 63.2–86.8) were observed. A significant dose–concentration relationship between self-reported drinks per drinking day and meconium EtG ≥30 ng/g also was observed (all P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Maternal alcohol consumption at ≥19 weeks was better represented by meconium EtG ≥30 ng/g than currently used FAEE cutoffs.

Determination of Ethyl Glucuronide in Hair for Detection of Alcohol Consumption in Patients After Liver Transplantation

2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 539-545 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilke Andresen-Streichert ◽  
Gregor von Rothkirch ◽  
Eik Vettorazzi ◽  
Alexander Mueller ◽  
Ansgar W. Lohse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Liver Transplantation ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Ethyl Glucuronide

Determination of ethyl glucuronide and fatty acid ethyl esters in hair samples

2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. e3858 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Oppolzer ◽  
Mário Barroso ◽  
Luís Passarinha ◽  
Eugenia Gallardo
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters ◽  
Ethyl Esters ◽  
Ethyl Glucuronide ◽  
Hair Samples
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