Saliva
Saliva is the secretion product of the salivary glands of the head and mouth. The presence and concentration of drugs in saliva provide much of the same information as determination of drug presence and drug concentrations in blood or plasma.
The collection of saliva is simple and non-invasive. It can be carried out by the specimen donor him/herself by having the donor place a cotton swab or absorptive material attached to a stick into his/her mouth for a few minutes. The oral fluid absorbed on the material can then be processed for testing.
Because saliva collection is non-invasive and can be carried out by the donors themselves, it is more acceptable to most people than providing urine, blood, or hair and can be achieved while the donor is under observed by the collector. Saliva can be collected at the site of the crime or incident and can also be used in roadside testing, which is one of its main advantages.
The disadvantage however in using saliva as a specimen is, like any biofluid from human, oral fluid may transmit infectious agents and should be handled with appropriate universal precaution. Consequently, some drugs, medical conditions or anxiety can inhibit saliva secretion and cause dry mouth. Finally, drugs that have a short half-life are rapidly cleared from the body and will be detectable in saliva only for a short time. This is a potential disadvantage against detection of drugs in hair, sweat or urine. Saliva and blood will have the shortest detection window. (V. Sphiehler, 2011)
Saliva is the secretion product of the salivary glands of the head and mouth. The presence and concentration of drugs in saliva provide much of the same information as determination of drug presence and drug concentrations in blood or plasma.
The collection of saliva is simple and non-invasive. It can be carried out by the specimen donor him/herself by having the donor place a cotton swab or absorptive material attached to a stick into his/her mouth for a few minutes. The oral fluid absorbed on the material can then be processed for testing.
Because saliva collection is non-invasive and can be carried out by the donors themselves, it is more acceptable to most people than providing urine, blood, or hair and can be achieved while the donor is under observed by the collector. Saliva can be collected at the site of the crime or incident and can also be used in roadside testing, which is one of its main advantages.
The disadvantage however in using saliva as a specimen is, like any biofluid from human, oral fluid may transmit infectious agents and should be handled with appropriate universal precaution. Consequently, some drugs, medical conditions or anxiety can inhibit saliva secretion and cause dry mouth. Finally, drugs that have a short half-life are rapidly cleared from the body and will be detectable in saliva only for a short time. This is a potential disadvantage against detection of drugs in hair, sweat or urine. Saliva and blood will have the shortest detection window. (V. Sphiehler, 2011)
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