Radioimmunological Screening and Gas Chromatographic Determination of Morphine and Related Narcotic Analgesics in Post Mortem Blood*

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Abstract
A sensitive, reproducible, and relatively specific procedure is presented for the screening, identification, and quantitation of morphine, hydromorphone, codeine, oxycodone, and hydrocodone in autopsy blood. The drugs are isolated from whole blood by adsorption on an XAD-2 resin slurry and subsequent elution with an organic solvent mixture. Part of the resin extract is screened for morphine and related cross-reacting compounds by a commercially available radioimmunoassay (RIA) and the remainder of the same extract is analyzed by gas chromatography using a nitrogen/phosphorus detector (GC/NP). The procedure has been used frequently in forensic toxicological casework. Since toxic blood concentrations of hydrocodone have not been well documented, the results of toxicological examination of two fatalities involving this drug are presented.

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