Analysis of amphetamine, cocaine and Cannabis in oral fluid from truck drivers driving through highways in the State of São Paulo

• Grant number: 14/01824-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): July 01, 2014
• Effective date (End): June 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Legal Medicine and Deontology
• Acordo de Cooperação: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Vilma Leyton
• Grantee: Henrique Silva Bombana
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In Brazil, in the year of 2011, the traffic accidents were responsible for 44.553 deaths, causing a huge social and economic impact. Almost 90% of all good produce in Brazil are transport on highways, and the southeast region is the most concentrate location of this type of transportation. It's already known that the use of alcohol and other psychoactive substances alter negatively the driver's capacity of conduct a vehicle. Truck drivers represent a risk group for drugs use due their long work journey, short term to deliver the cargo and the loneliness on the roads. Brazilian studies have already pointed the use of amphetamines, cocaine and marijuana by truck drivers, by toxicological analyses of urine. However the major studies, on prevalence of drugs use by drivers, in the world use oral fluid (saliva). This biological matrix has the better correlation with blood relative to the drug concentration in the organism, besides the collection is easy, fast, noninvasive and is almost impossible to adulterate. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of these drugs among professional truck drivers, trough oral fluid toxicological analysis. The drivers that will participate in the study travel through highways in the State of São Paulo and will participate in health preventive actions carried out by the Federal Department of Road Police, entitled Health Commands on the Roads. Besides the oral fluid we will also collect socio-demographical and occupational data, using a structured questionnaire, for correlate with the toxicological results. We estimate that 500 oral fluid samples will be collect during the years of 2014 and 2015. We will submit all samples to screening test by Enzyme Immunoassay Method (ELISA) and the positive ones will be confirmed by Gas-Chromatography coupled with Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), after solid phase microextraction. The results of this study will provide the basis for articles which will be submitted for publication in scientific journals specialized in the field and may also subsidize public policies aiming to prevent accidents and enforce traffic laws. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

BOMBANA, HENRIQUE SILVA; GJERDE, HALLVARD; DOS SANTOS, MARCELO FILONZI; JAMT, RAGNHILD ELEN GJULEM; YONAMINE, MAURICIO; CARAM ROHLFS, WALDO JOSE; MUNOZ, DANIEL ROMERO; LEYTON, VILMA. Prevalence of drugs in oral fluid from truck drivers in Brazilian highways. Forensic Science International, v. 273, p. 140-143, APR 2017. (14/01824-0)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

BOMBANA, Henrique Silva. Analysis of amphetamine, cocaine and cannabis in oral fluid from truck drivers driving through highways in the state of Sao Paulo. 2016. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina (FM/SBD) São Paulo.