Basic Analytical Toxicology
Annex 1
List of reference compounds and reagents
The reference compounds and reagents required for the tests are listed here. A number are controlled drugs and special arrangements are necessary to obtain and store these items (see section 1.2). Where appropriate, the commonly encountered salts of basic drugs and some other compounds have been indicated. Compounds marked with an asterisk (*) are used both as reagents and reference compounds.
Reference compounds
Pharmaceuticals and metabolites
N-Acetylprocainamide (hydrochloride)
Acetylsalicylic acid
Amitriptyline (hydrochloride)
Amobarbital
Amfetamine (sulfate)
Atropine (sulfate)
Barbital (sodium)
Benzoylecgonine
Bisacodyl
Brucine (sulfate)
Caffeine
Carbamazepine
Chloroquine (phosphate)
Chlorpromazine (hydrochloride)
Clomethiazole (ethandisulfonate)
Clomipramine (hydrochloride)
Cocaine
Codeine (phosphate)
Cyclizine (hydrochloride)
Dantron
Dapsone
Desipramine (hydrochloride)
Dextropropoxyphene (hydrochloride)
Digoxin
Digitoxin
Dihydrocodeine (tartrate)
Diphenhydramine (hydrochloride)
Dosulepin (hydrochloride)
Doxepin (hydrochloride)
Emetine (hydrochloride)
Ephedrine (hydrochloride)
Ethchlorvynol
Flurazepam (hydrochloride)
Glutethimide
Glyceryl trinitrate (aqueous solution)
Haloperidol
Imipramine (hydrochloride)*
Isoniazid
Lidocaine (hydrochloride)
Lithium (carbonate)
Meprobamate
Methadone (hydrochloride)
Methaqualone
Metamfetamine (hydrochloride)
Methyprylon
Monoacetyldapsone
Morphine (sulfate)
Morphine-3-glucuronide
Nitrazepam
Nortriptyline (hydrochloride)
Orphenadrine (citrate)
Paracetamol
Pentazocine (hydrochloride)
Perphenazine
Pethidine (hydrochloride)
Phenazone
Phenobarbital
Phenolphthalein
Phenytoin
Pralidoxime (chloride)*
Procainamide (hydrochloride)
Propranolol (hydrochloride)
Quinidine (sulfate)
Quinine (sulfate)*
Rhein
Salicylic acid
Strychnine (hydrochloride)
Theophylline
Thioridazine (hydrochloride)
Trifluoperazine (hydrochloride)
Trimipramine (maleate)
Tolbutamide
Verapamil (hydrochloride)
Pesticides
Aldicarb
Aldrin
Bromophos
Bromoxynil
Carbaryl
Chloralose
Chlorpyrifos
2, 4-D
DNOC
2, 4-DP
Dicophane
Dimethoate
Dinoseb
Dioxathion
Diquat
Heptachlor
Ioxynil
Lindane
MCPA
MCPP
Methidathion
Methiocarb
Nicotine
Paraquat
Pentachlorophenol
2, 4, 5-T
2, 4, 5-TP
Reagents and solvents
Acetaldehyde
Acetamide
Acetic acid (glacial)
Acetic anhydride
Acetone
Acetylthiocholine iodide
Alcohol dehydrogenase (yeast, crystalline)
Alizarin complexone
2-Aminoethanol
1-Aminonaphthalene
Ammonium acetate
Ammonium chloride
Ammonium hydroxide (concentrated, relative density 0.88)
Ammonium molybdate
Ammonium sulfamate
Ammonium sulfate
Ammonium thiocyanate
Ammonium vanadate (finely powdered)
iso-Amyl acetate
Arsenic trichloride
Barbituric acid (malonylurea, 2,4,6-trihydroxypyrimidine)
Basic magenta (fuchsine, CI 42510)
2,2'-Bipyridyl (2,2'-dipyridyl)
Boric acid*
Bromine
Butanone (methyl ethyl ketone)
n-Butyl acetate
Calcium chloride
Calcium hydroxide
Calcium hypochlorite (powdered)
Carbon monoxide* (or carbon monoxide/nitrogen)
Carminic acid
Cerous nitrate
Charcoal, activated (Norit A)
Chloramine T ( N-chloro-4-toluenesulfonamide, sodium salt; see note)
Chloroauric acid (gold chloride, HAuCl4ÊxH2O)
Chloroform
Chromotropic acid (2,5-dihydroxynaphthalene-2,7-disulfonic acid)
Citric acid
Copper foil, mesh or wire*
o-Cresol (2-methylphenol)
Copper (II) sulfate
Cyclohexane
Diethyl ether
p-Dimethylaminobenzaldehyde (4-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde)
p-Dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde (4-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde)
o-Dinitrobenzene (1,2-dinitrobenzene)
Dinitrophenol
Diphenylamine
Diphenylamine sulfate
Diphenylcarbazide
Disodium hydrogen orthophosphate
Disodium tetraborate
5,5'-Dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (Ellman's reagent)
Dithiooxamide
Dithizone (diphenylthiocarbazone)
Ethanol*
Ethyl acetate
Ferric ammonium sulfate*
Ferric chloride
Ferric nitrate (nonahydrate)
Ferrous sulfate
Fluorescein
1-Fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene
Folin-Ciocalteau reagent
Formaldehyde*
Formic acid*
Furfuraldehyde
Glycine
n-Hexane
Hippuric acid*
Hydrochloric acid (concentrated, relative density 1.18)
Hydrogen peroxide*
Iodine
Isopropyl acetone
Ketodase (ß-glucuronidase 5000 units/ml)
Lead acetate*
Lithium sulfate
Magnesium (powder)
Manganous sulfate
Mercuric chloride*
Mercurous nitrate
Metaphosphoric acid
Methanol*
2-Methoxyethanol (ethylene glycol monomethyl ether)
Methyl iso-butyl ketone (isopropylacetone)
Methyl tertiary-butyl ether
N-(1-Naphthyl)ethylenediamine hydrochloride
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide
Nitric acid (concentrated, relative density 1.42)
p-Nitrobenzaldehyde (4-nitrobenzaldehyde)
4-( p-Nitrobenzyl)pyridine (4-(4-nitrobenzyl)pyridine)
Orthophosphoric acid ( o-phosphoric acid, H3PO4) (850 g/kg)
Oxalyldihydrazide (oxalylhydrazide)
Oxalic acid*
Paraffin wax
Perchloric acid (700 g/kg)
Petroleum ether (40-60°C boiling fraction)
Phenol*
Phosphorous acid (metaphosphoric acid, H3PO3)
Platinic chloride (platinum (IV) chloride)
Potassium cyanide*
Potassium dichromate
Potassium ferricyanide (hexacyanoferrate (III))
Potassium ferrocyanide (hexacyanoferrate (II))
Potassium iodide
Potassium nitrite
Potassium permanganate
Potassium sodium tartrate tetrahydrate (Rochelle salt)
Potassium thiocyanate*
Propan-2-ol*
Pyridine
Salicylaldehyde (2-hydroxybenzaldehyde)
Semicarbazide hydrochloride ( N-aminourea hydrochloride)
Silica (precipitated)
Silver dithiocarbamate
Silver nitrate
Sodium acetate, anhydrous
Sodium acetate dihydrate
Sodium azide
Sodium bicarbonate
Sodium bisulfite
Sodium bitartrate
Sodium bromide*
Sodium carbonate
Sodium chlorate*
Sodium chloride
Sodium dihydrogen orthophosphate
Sodium dithionite (N.B. This compound must be stored in a desiccator)
Sodium hydrogen orthophosphate
Sodium hydroxide
Sodium hypochlorite*
Sodium fluoride*
Sodium iodate*
Sodium iodide*
Sodium molybdate
Sodium nitrate*
Sodium nitrite*
Sodium nitroprusside
Sodium periodate
Sodium pyrophosphate (tetra-sodium pyrophosphate decahydrate)
Sodium rhodizonate (rhodizonic acid, sodium salt)
Sodium sulfate (anhydrous)
Sodium sulfide*
Sodium sulfite*
Sodium tungstate
Stannous chloride
Starch (solid)
Sulfanilic acid
Sulfuric acid (concentrated, relative density 1.83)
Tartaric acid
Tergitol
Tetraethylenepentamine
Thallous sulfate*
Thiobarbituric acid (4,6-dihydroxy-2-mercaptopyrimidine)
Toluene
o-Toluidine (2-methylaniline)
Trichloroacetic acid*
Triethylamine
Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (free base)
Turmeric (the spice)
Urea
m-Xylene (1,3-dimethylbenzene)
Zinc (granulated)
Zinc acetate
Zinc phosphide*
Annex 2
Conversion factors for mass and molar concentrations
The units given here are those normally used to report the results of measurements performed on fluids such as blood or urine.
Analyte Mass/molar Molar/mass
Acetylsalicylic acid see salicylate ion
Aluminiumµg/l × 0.0371 = µmol/l µmol/l × 27 = µg/l
Amitriptylineµg/l × 0.00361 = µmol/l µmol/l × 277 = µg/l
Arsenic mg/l × 13.3 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.0749 = mg/l
Barbital mg/l × 5.43 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.184 = mg/l
Borate ion mg/l × 17.0 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.0588 = mg/l
Bromide ion mg/l × 12.52 = µmol/lµmol/l × 0.0799 = mg/l
Bromoxynil mg/l × 3.61 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.277 = mg/l
Cadmium µg/l × 8.90 = nmol/l nmol/l × 0.112 = µg/l
Carbamazepinemg/l × 4.24 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.236 = mg/l
Chloroquine mg/l × 3.13 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.320 = mg/l
Clomethiazolemg/l × 6.17= µmol/l µmol/l × 0.162 = mg/l
Copper mg/l × 15.7 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.0636 = mg/l
Cyanide mg/l × 38.5 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.026 = mg/l
Dapsone mg/l × 4.03 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.248 = mg/l
Diazepam mg/l × 3.51 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.285 = mg/l
Digoxin µg/l × 1.28 = nmol/l nmol/l × 0.781 = µg/l
Dinoseb mg/l × 4.17 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.240 = mg/l
DNOCmg/l × 5.05 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.198 = mg/l
Ethanol g/l × 21.7 = mmol/l mmol/l × 0.046 = g/l
Ethylene glycol g/l × 16.1 = mmol/l mmol/l × 0.062 = g/l
Fluoride ion mg/l × 52.6 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.019 = mg/l
Hippurate iong/l × 5.61 = mmol/l mmol/l × 0.178 = g/l
Imipramine µg/l × 0.00357 = µmol/l µmol/l × 280 = µg/l
Ioxynil mg/l × 2.696 = µmol/lµmol/l × 0.371 = mg/l
Ironmg/l × 17.9 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.0559 = mg/l
Isoniazidmg/l × 7.29 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.137 = mg/l
Leadmg/l × 4.83 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.207 = mg/l
Lidocainemg/l × 4.27 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.234 = mg/l
Lithium mg/l × 0.144 = mmol/lmmol/l × 6.94 = mg/l
Analyte Mass/molar Molar/mass
Mercury µg/l × 4.99 = nmol/l nmol/l × 0.201 = µg/l
Methanol g/l × 31.3 = mmol/l mmol/l × 0.032 = g/l
Methaqualone mg/l × 4.00 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.250 = mg/l
Morphine mg/l × 3.51 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.285 = mg/l
Nitrite ion mg/l × 21.7 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.040 = mg/l
Nortriptylinemg/l × 3.80 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.263 = mg/l
Paracetamol mg/l × 0.00661 = mmol/l mmol/l × 151= mg/l
Paraquat ion mg/l × 5.37 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.186 = mg/l
Phenobarbitalmg/l × 4.31 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.232 = mg/l
Phenprocoumonmg/l × 3.57 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.280 = mg/l
Phenytoinmg/l × 3.96 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.252 = mg/l
Primidonemg/l × 4.58 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.218 = mg/l
Propan-2-ol g/l × 16.64 = mmol/l mmol/l × 0.060 = g/l
Quinidinemg/l × 3.08 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.325 = mg/l
Salicylate ionmg/l × 0.00729 = mmol/l mmol/l × 137 = mg/l
Sulfite ion mg/l × 12.5 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.080 = mg/l
Thallium mg/l × 4.89 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.204 = mg/l
Theophylline mg/l × 5.55 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.180 = mg/l
Thiocyanate ion mg/l × 17.2 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.058 = mg/l
Tolbutamide mg/l × 3.70 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.270 = mg/l
Valproate ionmg/l × 6.98 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.143 = mg/l
Warfarin mg/l × 3.24 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.308 = mg/l
Zinc mg/l × 15.3 = µmol/l µmol/l × 0.0654 = mg/l