According to statistics, every day the ranks of smokers are replenished, and today people with nicotine addiction make up about 17% of the world population. This is a real problem that is being discussed by the world community, however, the number of nicotine-dependent ones does not get any less. It is terrible that nicotine destroys the organic structures, provokes pulmonary oncology and other life-threatening pathologies, takes the lives of even young people. Smokers know about this, but they do not want to part with dependence and do not even try. Do not interfere with the promotion of nicotine harm and adolescents to take up cigarettes. Even especially attentive parents will not always be able to detect the presence of nicotine addiction from their beloved child. But if such suspicions are still there, then you can confirm or disprove them with the help of specialized rapid tests for nicotine.
Express tests for nicotine
Tests for nicotine are, in fact, an immunochromatographic study. This rather simple procedure, available to any layman in a domestic setting, is able to determine the presence of nicotine metabolites. And nicotine is found, even if more than a day and a half have passed since the last cigarette was smoked. There are also tests that detect the use of tobacco a few weeks ago.
Such products produced by the company Med-express diagnostics, which can be bought at the pharmacy, are very popular.
The approximate cost of such tests depends on the number of test strips in the package:
- Immunochrom-Kotinin-Express 1 strip ≈ 40 rub.;
- Express test for detection of cotinine 10 strips ≈ 400 rub.;
- A set of tests for the detection of nicotine from 20 or 50 strips will cost about 800 rubles.or 2 000 rubles.respectively.
Principle of operation
The test reveals cotinine. This alkaloid substance is present in tobacco and is a product of its metabolism. Cotinine is used as a biomarker to detect the use of nicotine. Kotinin for a long time is stably present in the organic fluids of the human body. The half-life of cotinine is approximately 8 to 40 hours, nicotine disintegrates in about half an hour-hour.
Kotinin does not depend on external factors and is formed only due to nicotine metabolism. Therefore, this alkaloid is used as the most indicative indicator of tobacco use. Therefore, if you suspect a nicotine dependence in a child or loved one, you can check it with this express test.
The determination procedure is based on the principles of immunochromatographic analysis. When urine is absorbed into the appropriate area of the test strip, if there is cotinine in the sample, a reaction with monoclonal cotinine antibodies occurs.
Features of using
For maximum reliability of results it is necessary to follow certain rules:
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- The investigated biomaterial should be brought to ambient temperature, as well as the test strip itself;
- Pour approximately 1.5 ml of urine into clean and dry dishes;
- Immerse the test strip to the desired level for about half a minute-minute;
- Then put the test in a clean and dry place for about 5 minutes;
- Evaluate the results.
- If one pink band appears in the test area in the control zone, this indicates that there is an increased amount of cotinine in the urine, that is, the result is positive;
- If on a strip two lines of any brightness of color and clarity were shown, then the result should be regarded as negative.
According to reviews of those who used the tests, sometimes they may be wrong. If the test showed one strip in the test area without a control line, then testing is considered erroneous. Do not attack a teenager, waving a test with positive results. The bottom line is that the presence of cotinine can be due to the fact that someone smokes in the house daily, and at least 1-2 packs a day.
Children living in such an atmosphere are found to have nicotine in the body, equivalent to 1-2 smoked cigarettes. Therefore, it is worth considering that passive smoking does not pass without a trace and harmless to others, especially for children.
Especially clever teenagers can deceive the test for nicotine, for example, replace the biomaterial with the urine of the younger sister / brother, so it is worthwhile to follow the collection of the biomaterial. In addition, in the urine, you can add some cleanser, salt, whiteness and other household chemicals that will affect the chemical composition and spoil the express test. Therefore, it is worth checking the receipt of the biomaterial.
If the result is negative, and doubt still remains, then it is possible to detect nicotine with the help of laboratory diagnostic methods that are conducted in the conditions of specialized medical institutions.
As for e-cigarettes, the test will only show the fact of smoking those that are filled with nicotine, non-nicotine cigarettes, do not leave visible "traces of crime" in the urine.
Given the wide range of all kinds of drugs and techniques offered today to fight nicotine addiction, coping with such a problem is quite simple, especially at the initial stages of its formation. The main thing is to choose the right method and the necessary words to convince the novice smoker not to be like herd instincts, not to try to smoke like everyone else and to assert themselves in this way among peers.