A different insight in hair analysis: Simultaneous measurement of antipsychotic drugs and metabolites in the protein and melanin fraction of hair from criminal justice patients.

Background: Previous studies have postulated that four structural compartments may be differentiated in hair: surface protein domain, water-accessible protein domain, water-inaccessible protein domain, and melanin. Drugs contained in blood, sweat, sebum, and environment would be deposited in the first two domains, with primarily drugs in blood being incorporated in the latter two domains during hair synthesis. Drugs in the first two domains would be removed by washing procedures.