Citation

Pufal E, Sykutera M, Sliwka K, Rochholz G. Blutalkohol 1999; 36(5): 284-289.

Affiliation

Akad. Med. L. Rydygiera Bydgoszczy, Katedra i Zaklad Medycyny Sadowej, P-85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, International Committee on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety and Bund gegen Alkohol und Drogen im Straßenverkehr, Publisher Steintor Verlag)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

To date there are only very few studies dealing with the incidence of pharmaceuticals and drugs in road traffic. The above study was carried out by using blood samples of drivers who were not under the influence of alcohol (BAC less than 0.2 (per mille)). The blood samples were sent to the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Bydgoszcz between 1995 and 1998 where they tested for the presence of pharmaceuticals and drugs. To establish this, the following means were used: pH graduated extraction, several thin-layer-chromatographic and high-performance-liquid-chromatographic procedures as well as UV spectroscopic measurements. The study revealed that road traffic participants under the influence of amphetamines were in the majority since 1996 whereas before and including 1995 benzodiazepines were mostly found in high concentrations. Barbiturates were quite often found in blood samples of people who tested negative for alcohol. Cannabis was first detected in 1995. In addition opiates and to a much lesser extent phenothiazines were found.