Drugs—licit and illicit—are getting more potent. This presents a potentially lethal problem for laboratory staff as well as compromising reported results due to contamination. A paper by Edward Sisco et al. (NIST, Gaithersburg, MD) shows that laboratory contamination is a problem that must be monitored. (See Figure 1.)
Figure 1 – Frequency of percentage of samples collected showing contamination with listed drug. For example, about 62% of the swab tests show contamination with fentanyl. The size of the dot shows the contamination level using the right-hand guide. Fentanyl is between 1 and 5 ng/cm2. Colored dots indicate related compounds. Fentanyl, heroin, and oxycodone are related by structure. (Image credit: NIST.)The paper points out that powders are more likely to contaminate the lab by forming aerosols. Balances and surrounding area usually showed the highest contamination. Microscopes also revealed above-average contamination. Swab tests showed that contamination at the benchtop was typically only 10% of the area around the balance. Contributing factors are that balances and microscopes are commonly and frequently used. Plus, they are difficult to clean, compared to benchtops used for general lab work.
This paper also addressed contamination of other laboratories, including crime scene vans and storage lockers, report preparation desks, and toxicology units. The high detection sensitivity of DART-MS combined with its quick response makes widespread screening possible, but DART-MS is not definitive, since benign isobars can be mistaken for illicit targets.
In my opinion, this paper should be read by lab managers and staff to increase awareness of the need for personal protective garments and isolation cells when handling drugs and drug candidates. Also, protocols for cleaning workstations such as balances, microscopes, and even spectrometers should be considered.
Robert L. Stevenson, Ph.D., is Editor Emeritus, American Laboratory/Labcompare; e-mail: [email protected]
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