Precision and accuracy of a radioimmunoassay versus GLC procedure for quantitative determination of morphine compounds in biological materials.

The authors, using GLC and RIA, have measured morphine in post-mortem biological material obtained from subjects died for heroin intoxication. Statistical analysis of the two sets of data indicated a high and satisfactory correlation. Recognizing the RIA was a more rapid and simple procedure the authors decide to study the recovery of morphine for various biological materials as determined by RIA. The results demonstrated that the initial concentration of morphine in the various organs did not affect the assay results, but the concentration in assay tubes was important. At concentrations between 10 and 40 ng/ml the recovery was excellent, with no important differences between the organs. It was concluded that the radioimmunological assay can be validly used in forensic medicine to measure morphine in biological materials.