The ability of forensic toxicology facilities to identify synthetic or otherwise adulterated urine samples submitted for drug screening purposes is a critical aspect of maintaining the integrity of workplace and legal testing programs. The sophistication of these facilities has increased significantly over time to counteract attempts at sample manipulation.
The importance of detecting manipulated urine samples lies in ensuring accurate representation of an individual’s drug use. Circumventing accurate testing can have serious ramifications in safety-sensitive occupations, legal proceedings, and substance abuse monitoring programs. Historically, simple visual inspection and temperature checks were the primary methods of verification, but these proved insufficient against increasingly sophisticated adulterants and substitutes.