2007-03-18 18:14:22 · 6 answers · asked by cspicer37 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Medicine
That depends on the drugs being tested for and the method used to test for them. Nursegirl is correct that ammonia will form (due to bacterial growth) but this does not necessarily make it unsuitable for testing. The pH can be adjusted back to neutral using hydrochloric acid (as ammonia is basic). Most drugs are stable in urine and don't just spontaneously decompose. One problem is that the plastic that some urine containers are made from absorb the drug out of the urine over long periods of storage causing a false negative. Bacterial growth could (in theory) break down some drugs (if they possessed the appropriate enzymes). In a lab, testing is always performed on a fresh sample, or if testing is delayed the sample is refrigerated.
In response to the answer given by bad guppy
Laboratories do not test the temperature of a specimen for drug screening, I am a medical scientist and have tested thousands of urine specimens for drugs of abuse and other tests, most of which have been stored in the fridge prior to testing, there is absolutely no scientific reason why a specimen should be at body temperature for drug testing, it would only stay warm for a few minutes anyway, and if that were the case, a specimen could easily be warmed up (under a hot tap for example) to artefactually increase the temperature.
In fact forensic specimens collected from dead bodies (urine aspirated from the bladder, or vitreous humour [eye fluid]) are routinely tested in coroners cases, and they are certainly not body temperature, nor are they fresh!
Typically a urine specimen submitted for drug screening will have pH, specific gravity and creatinine measurements taken, to detect adulteration such as dilution or the addition of acids or bases. Some laboratories will test for other possible adulterants such as bleach and hydrogen peroxide.
2007-03-18 19:21:09 · answer #1 · answered by Mad Scientist 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No. Urine tested for temperature at collection site. Then it is refrigerated before sent to lab. Lab has no reason to test the temp. Urine at collection site has to be between 90-100*. When I get 100* urine, I pour it into second cup to verify the temp. Catch many people this way, and then I take their temperature. You can't produce a 100* urine sample if your body temp is 98.6!! Even if the drug "broke down" in urine, still in urine. All ratios of urine would be way off, too concentrated for it to be legitimate specimen. Adding hot/warm H20 to heat urine won't work, if you run water before giving specimen to collector, they will reject it on the spot.
2007-03-22 05:49:54 · answer #2 · answered by nursegrl 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No! No!NO! it really is must be a particular temperature even as it leaves the body and enters the sphere it extremely is used to retrieve the unrine it oftentimes has a strip down the area that ought to hit upon the temp-of your urine. I 've grew to develop into more advantageous than one away that i did not flow in with and they hand me a cool field!! Busted!!!
2016-11-26 21:50:31 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
no.
the lab will check the temperature of the specimen when you give it to them, to make sure it's "hot off the press" so to speak. if it doesn't fall within the limits of normal body temperature, they will reject the specimen.
also, urine left out at room temp. for a week will be so revolting, they will know immediately that you are a whack job.
2007-03-19 12:08:04 · answer #4 · answered by bad guppy 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No, it should be fresh. To test for something in urine, the specimen should not be older than 30 minutes.
2007-03-19 03:20:21 · answer #5 · answered by Mike 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
no it will decompose into ammonia
2007-03-18 18:39:47 · answer #6 · answered by Bio-student Again(aka nursegirl) 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋