Development of a fluoroimmunoassay for the detection of buprenorphine in urine.

The development of a fluoroimmunoassay for the detection of buprenorphine in urine samples is described. Fluorescein-norbuprenorphine and pseudobuprenorphine, the dimer of buprenorphine, were synthesized as tracer molecules. The antibodies were prepared by coupling the 2-diazobenzoic acid derivative of buprenorphine with bovine serum albumine, using the carbodiimide method. The assay was mainly used for the routine detection of buprenorphine in urine specimens of persons suspected of Temgesic abuse. The minimum detectable dose of the immunoassay was calculated to be 20 ng/mL.