What is the difference between a diluted specimen, a substituted specimen and an adulterated specimen?
A ‘diluted’ specimen is when an individual has either intentionally ingested high levels of liquid or added a liquid to the collected specimen in order to decrease the concentration of the specimen. If a specimen is sufficiently diluted, it makes it difficult for the lab to identify any drugs that might be present. Specifically, a diluted specimen has a creatinine reading less than 20 mg/dL, but greater than 5 mg/dL, and a specific gravity less than 1.003, but greater than 1.001.
