Forensic & Clinical SPE
Precision meets versatility. UCT SPE columns and well-plates deliver unparalleled sample clean-up, recovery, and reproducibility for forensic and clinical analyses.
Shop Forensic/Clinical Products →Why Choose UCT SPE?
With over 40 years of expertise in SPE sorbent chemistry, UCT develops proprietary product lines trusted by toxicology laboratories, medical examiner offices, and clinical research facilities worldwide. Our phases are engineered for maximum selectivity, extracting acidic, neutral, and basic compounds for both screening and confirmation analyses across a broad spectrum of drug categories.
Maximum Selectivity
UCT’s forensic SPE phases are precision-engineered to extract acidic, neutral, and basic compounds from complex biological matrices. Mixed-mode sorbents combine reversed-phase retention with ion exchange mechanisms on a single particle, enabling highly selective isolations that reduce matrix effects in LC-MS/MS and GC-MS analyses.
Versatile Configurations
Choose from a wide spectrum of cartridge sizes, bed masses, and endcapped or unendcapped sorbent options. UCT forensic SPE products are available in column, well-plate, and filtration formats to match any laboratory workflow, sample volume, or throughput requirement.
Custom Solutions
UCT offers full customization to meet your laboratory’s exact specifications. Whether you need a unique bed mass, a non-standard sorbent combination, or a custom column configuration for a validated method, UCT’s manufacturing team will work with you to deliver a product that meets your analytical requirements.
Screening & Confirmation
UCT SPE columns support both initial screening workflows and subsequent confirmatory GC-MS or LC-MS/MS analysis, providing reliable sample preparation for each stage of the testing process.
Our Distinguished Product Lines
Explore UCT’s comprehensive range of SPE solutions designed for forensic and clinical applications.
UCT manufactures four distinct forensic SPE product lines, each engineered for different extraction challenges and sample types. Whether you are performing broad-spectrum drug screening in a high-throughput toxicology laboratory, extracting analytes from viscous postmortem blood specimens, or running targeted confirmation analyses for specific drug classes, UCT has a product line designed for your application.
All UCT forensic SPE products are manufactured under strict quality control with lot-to-lot consistency, and Certificates of Analysis are available for download on our website. Explore our full catalog of forensic and clinical SPE columns, well plates, and cartridges.
CLEAN SCREEN®
UCT’s flagship forensic SPE product line, CLEAN SCREEN® features handpicked mixed-mode chemistries for the extraction of hundreds of commonly encountered and newly discovered drugs of abuse. The CLEAN SCREEN® family includes dedicated phases for broad-spectrum drug screening (DAU), cannabinoid analysis (THC), gamma-hydroxybutyrate isolation (GHB), ethyl glucuronide extraction (ETG), benzodiazepine analysis (BNZ), streamlined multi-drug extraction (XCEL®), and rapid filtration-based sample preparation (FASt®). CLEAN SCREEN® products are the most widely used forensic SPE columns in toxicology laboratories and medical examiner offices across North America.
XtrackT®
XtrackT® SPE columns use large-particle silica gels specifically designed for viscous or difficult sample matrices that clog standard SPE cartridges. Postmortem blood, hemolyzed specimens, tissue homogenates, and other challenging forensic matrices flow easily through XtrackT® columns without the backpressure issues common with fine-particle sorbents. Available in seven phase chemistries including the mixed-mode DAU phase for broad drug screening, XtrackT® columns are ideal for medical examiner and coroner laboratories where sample quality varies significantly from case to case.
STYRE SCREEN®
STYRE SCREEN® forensic SPE columns are built on ultra-clean, highly cross-linked styrene-divinylbenzene (DVB) polymer sorbents that deliver high analyte capacity with significantly lower bed masses compared to silica-based alternatives. The polymer backbone provides pH stability across the full range (pH 1–14), eliminating concerns about sorbent degradation during aggressive wash or elution steps. STYRE SCREEN® columns enable faster flow rates and reduced solvent consumption, making them an excellent choice for high-throughput forensic and clinical toxicology laboratories processing large daily sample volumes.
CLEAN-UP®
CLEAN-UP® is UCT’s comprehensive line of silica-based SPE chemistries, offering the broadest phase selection in the forensic SPE market. With hydrophobic phases (C2 through C30), hydrophilic phases (silica, florisil, alumina, diol, cyanopropyl), ion exchangers (both cation and anion), and unique copolymeric bonded phases that combine two mechanisms on a single sorbent, CLEAN-UP® columns provide the versatility to screen biological samples for unknown compounds or target specific drug chemistries with precision. CLEAN-UP® is the go-to product line when your application requires a specific retention mechanism beyond what mixed-mode phases offer.
SPE Phase Reference
Choosing the right SPE sorbent chemistry is critical to achieving clean extracts and high analyte recoveries in forensic toxicology and clinical chemistry applications. The retention mechanism—whether hydrophobic interaction, ion exchange, or a combination of both—must match the chemical properties of your target analytes and the composition of your biological matrix.
The reference below provides a complete listing of UCT’s available SPE phase chemistries across all forensic product lines, organized by retention mechanism to help you identify the best sorbent for your specific application.
Hydrophobic Phases
- C2 – Ethyl
- C4 – Butyl
- C8 – Octyl
- C18 – Octadecyl
- C30 – Triacontyl
- CYH – Cyclohexyl
- PHY – Phenyl
Hydrophilic Phases
- SIL – Silica
- FLS – Florisil
- ALA – Alumina Acid
- ALB – Alumina Base
- ALN – Alumina Neutral
- CN – Cyanopropyl
- DOL – Diol
- Carbon – Graphitized
Anion Exchangers
- NAX – Aminopropyl
- PSA – n-2 Aminoethyl
- DAX – Diethylamino
- QAX – Quaternary Amine
- PAX – Polyimine
Cation Exchangers
- BCX – Benzenesulfonic Acid
- CCX – Carboxylic Acid
- PCX – Propylsulfonic Acid
- TAX – Triacetic Acid
Copolymeric Phases
- C8+CYH – Octyl + Cyclohexyl
- C8+BCX – Octyl + Benzenesulfonic
- C8+PCX – Octyl + Propylsulfonic
- C8+CCX – Octyl + Carboxylic
- C8+QAX – Octyl + Quaternary Amine
- C8+NAX – Octyl + Aminopropyl
- C18+BCX – Octadecyl + Benzenesulfonic
Specialty Phases
- THX – Thiopropyl (Covalent)
- HLB – Hydrophilic Lipophilic Balance
- HLD – High Load Density
- DVB – Divinylbenzene
Specialized Extraction Chemistries
Each CLEAN SCREEN® phase is optimized for specific drug classes and metabolites.
The CLEAN SCREEN® family is the cornerstone of UCT’s forensic SPE portfolio and represents decades of sorbent chemistry research focused exclusively on the needs of forensic toxicology and clinical laboratories. Every CLEAN SCREEN® phase is designed around the specific chemical properties of its target analyte class—combining the right balance of hydrophobic retention and ion exchange selectivity to deliver clean extracts, high recoveries, and low relative standard deviations (RSDs) across a wide range of biological matrices.
From broad-spectrum drugs-of-abuse screening with the DAU phase to rapid filtration-based sample preparation with the FASt® platform, the CLEAN SCREEN® family provides a complete toolkit for forensic and clinical drug analysis by SPE.
CLEAN SCREEN® DAU
The industry-standard mixed-mode sorbent for broad drugs-of-abuse (DAU) screening. CLEAN SCREEN® DAU utilizes both a reversed-phase C8 mechanism and a strong cation exchange (benzenesulfonic acid) mechanism bonded to the same silica particle, enabling simultaneous retention of acidic, basic, and neutral drugs from blood, urine, and other biological specimens in a single extraction.
CLEAN SCREEN® THC
Features a unique blend of hydrophobic and anion exchange functionalities specifically optimized for the extraction of THC, 11-hydroxy-THC, and THC-COOH (11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ9-THC) from urine and blood. CLEAN SCREEN® THC delivers consistently clean extracts for both GC-MS and LC-MS/MS cannabinoid confirmation analyses, supporting forensic DUI investigations and workplace drug testing programs.
CLEAN SCREEN® GHB
A patented sorbent specifically engineered for the isolation and extraction of free gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) from biological specimens. The unique sorbent chemistry selectively retains GHB while removing endogenous matrix interferences that can complicate GHB quantitation, making it essential for drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) investigations and postmortem toxicology casework.
CLEAN SCREEN® ETG
Designed specifically for the extraction of ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS) from urine samples. These direct alcohol biomarkers provide a longer detection window than ethanol itself, making CLEAN SCREEN® ETG columns essential for court-ordered abstinence monitoring, clinical treatment compliance testing, and workplace alcohol testing programs.
CLEAN SCREEN® BNZ
A specialized sorbent optimized for the extraction of benzodiazepines and their metabolites, with particular focus on 7-amino benzodiazepines such as 7-aminoclonazepam, 7-aminoflunitrazepam, and 7-aminonitrazepam. CLEAN SCREEN® BNZ delivers high recoveries for this analytically challenging drug class, supporting both clinical benzodiazepine monitoring and forensic investigations involving sedative-hypnotic drugs.
CLEAN SCREEN XCEL®
Engineered to significantly reduce the number of steps in the SPE extraction workflow. XCEL I extracts a wide array of basic drugs—including opioids, amphetamines, benzodiazepines, and synthetic cannabinoids—in a simplified protocol with fewer conditioning, wash, and elution steps. XCEL II is optimized specifically for the rapid and clean extraction of THC-Δ9-carboxylic acid from urine specimens.
CLEAN SCREEN FASt®
A filtration-based sample preparation platform that replaces traditional SPE workflows for LC-MS/MS analysis of urine specimens. CLEAN SCREEN FASt® eliminates the need for centrifugation, mitigates matrix suppression effects, and removes particulates greater than 1 μm—dramatically reducing sample preparation time while maintaining analytical quality. Available in three application-specific variants: Standard FASt® for general drug extraction from urine, FASt® THC for cannabinoid metabolite extraction, and FASt® EtG for ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate extraction. The FASt® platform is ideal for high-volume clinical and workplace drug testing laboratories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about forensic and clinical solid phase extraction.
What is solid phase extraction (SPE) in forensic toxicology?
Solid phase extraction (SPE) is a sample preparation technique used in forensic toxicology to isolate drugs, poisons, and their metabolites from biological specimens such as blood, urine, oral fluid, hair, and tissue. The biological sample is passed through a sorbent-packed cartridge that selectively retains target analytes while matrix interferences pass through. The retained analytes are then eluted and analyzed by GC-MS, LC-MS/MS, or other chromatographic techniques. SPE is preferred over traditional liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) in most forensic laboratories because it provides higher and more reproducible recoveries, uses less organic solvent, and can be readily automated for high-throughput processing.
What biological specimens can be extracted with UCT forensic SPE columns?
UCT forensic SPE columns are validated for use with a wide range of biological matrices including whole blood, plasma, serum, urine, oral fluid (saliva), hair, nails, tissue homogenates, vitreous humor, bile, and meconium. For viscous or difficult specimens like postmortem blood, hemolyzed samples, and tissue homogenates, UCT’s XtrackT® product line uses large-particle sorbents specifically designed to prevent clogging and maintain flow rates.
What is the difference between CLEAN SCREEN® and STYRE SCREEN®?
CLEAN SCREEN® columns use silica-based sorbents with bonded mixed-mode chemistries, while STYRE SCREEN® columns use polymer-based styrene-divinylbenzene (DVB) sorbents. STYRE SCREEN® offers full pH stability (pH 1–14), higher analyte capacity per milligram of sorbent, and faster flow rates. CLEAN SCREEN® offers more phase-specific selectivity with dedicated sorbents for individual drug classes (THC, GHB, ETG, BNZ). Many laboratories use both product lines depending on the application.
Which SPE phase should I use for drugs-of-abuse screening?
For broad-spectrum drugs-of-abuse screening covering opioids, amphetamines, cocaine metabolites, benzodiazepines, and other commonly encountered drugs, start with CLEAN SCREEN® DAU. The DAU phase combines reversed-phase (C8) and strong cation exchange (benzenesulfonic acid) retention on a single particle, enabling simultaneous extraction of acidic, basic, and neutral compounds. For polymer-based alternatives, STYRE SCREEN® HLB or BCX phases provide similar broad-spectrum coverage with added pH stability and lower bed mass requirements.
Are UCT forensic SPE columns compatible with LC-MS/MS and GC-MS?
Yes, all UCT forensic SPE columns produce extracts compatible with both LC-MS/MS and GC-MS analytical platforms. The SPE extraction removes phospholipids, proteins, and other matrix components that cause ion suppression in LC-MS/MS, and eliminates non-volatile residues that contaminate GC injection ports and columns. For LC-MS/MS workflows, the CLEAN SCREEN FASt® platform provides rapid filtration-based preparation designed for direct injection.
Can UCT forensic SPE products be used in automated systems?
Yes, UCT forensic SPE products are available in formats compatible with automated liquid handling and SPE systems. UCT’s 96-well plate formats are designed for use with automated positive-pressure manifolds and robotic liquid handling platforms, enabling high-throughput processing of hundreds of samples per day with minimal analyst intervention. Standard cartridge formats are also compatible with widely used automated SPE instruments. Contact your local UCT sales representative for guidance on selecting the right format for your automation platform.
Ready to Elevate Your Analysis?
With over 40 years of expertise in SPE sorbent chemistry, UCT is a trusted partner for forensic toxicology and clinical laboratories worldwide. Explore our complete line of forensic and clinical SPE products designed for precision and reliability.
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