Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Hippuric Acid in Glue Sniffer’s Urine Using G.S Kit and UV-Visible Method

Inhalant abuse is defined as inhalation of solvents or volatile organic substances for pleasure or short term enjoyment. The most common d material is glue due to its low price and easy access. Glue solvent sniffing produces fast and pleasurable experience to the abuser. Glue normally contains toluene will then metabolite to hippuric acid and excreted in urine for glue sniffer’s. A mobile G.S. Kit developed by this group was employed of pyridine, benzenesulphonyl chloride and distilled water and use for screening or qualitative analysis. Survey shows that positive samples of hippuric acid in urines would change the color from yellow to red. All positive samples were brought back to lab for quantitative analysis. In this study, quantitative analysis of hippuric acid using UV-Vis at wavelength 417 nm was determined. The plotted results gave a regression coefficient of 0.994, while the recovery, accuracy and coefficient variance were 96.57%, 2.94% and 0.50% respectively. This method was successful in screening urine samples of suspect toluene abusers or glue sniffers among secondary school children at Johor Bahru and suspect abuser from Hospital Sultanah Aminah with the collaboration of the National Anti Drug Agency.