Urine and drug testing

Question 1

What are anabolic steroids?

Answer 1

• drugs that mimic the action of the male sex hormone testosterone and stimulate the growth of muscles

Question 2

What happens to anabolic steroids?

Answer 2

excreted in urine

Question 3

How is urine tested for steroids?

Answer 3

gas chromotography and mass spectrometry

Question 4

What is the process for urine testing steroids? gas chromatograph

Answer 4

• sample vaporised
• passed through column containing a polymer
• different substances move through column at different speeds
  
  • substances seperate
• a mass spectrometer converts them into ions
• then serperates them depending o their mass and charge
• the results are analysed by computing and comparing with results of knoiwn substances

Question 5

How are drugs broken down?

Answer 5

in liver

filtered by kidney

stored in bladder

Question 6

What is the problem with drug testing?

Answer 6

possible to find drug traces in the urine some time after a drug has been used

Question 7

What happens to the urine sample for drugs?

Answer 7

• divided in two
• the first sample may be testing by an immunoassay, using monoclonal antibodies to bind to the drug or its break down product
• if this shows positive, the second sample may be run through a gass chromatograph/mass spectrometer to confirm the presecence of the drug