Determination of ethyl glucuronide in fingernails by LC/MS-MS

Introduction: Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) is a biomarker used for detection of alcohol consumption. Fingernail is a keratinous tissue capable of accumulating a number of biomarkers and metabolites of toxic agents. Therefore, nails are used especially for determination toxic exposure in forensic analyses. In this study, we aimed to demonstrate EtG in fingernail tissue and show its correlation with alcohol intake behavior. Materials and Methods: Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST) was performed to the individuals participated in the study. Sixteen fingernails were obtained from each individual. Afterwards, EtG analysis was carried out in fingernail tissue using LC/MS/MS. Results: Michigan Alcohol Screening Test revealed that 4 participants showed non-hazardous drinking behavior and 8 cases were alcohol abusers, while 4 cases verbally stated they were abstainers. On the analyses, EtG was found between EtG level of <LOD and 90.52 ppb. EtG was observed as <LOD in fingernails of 4 participants who declared they were abstainers. A significant correlation was found between EtG levels measured in the fingernail samples and MAST outcomes on the statistical analyses (p<0.001; r=0.801). Conclusion: In this study, we demonstrated that fingernail tissue is a useful sample for determination of ethyl glucuronide by LC/MS-MS and can be used in detection of alcohol intake.