The following table lists the Specimen Requirements for the majority of assays. If the assay you require is not listed then please telephone the laboratory as new assays are constantly being developed.
The use of blood tubes with 'gel' separators should always be avoided, as should urine containers, containing boric acid.
Note:
means
that there is a chemical structure available which may be viewed.
ASSAY |
SPECIMEN |
MINIMUM VOLUME |
RECOMMENDED COLLECTION CONTAINER |
| Alcohols (methyl, ethyl or isopropyl) | Blood Urine |
2 mL 5 mL |
Fluoride
oxalate Sterile plastic |
| Aluminium | Water | 10 mL |
Special polycarbonate |
| Dialysate | 10 mL |
Special polycarbonate | |
| Plasma | 1 mL |
Special Li-heparin | |
| Urine | 10 mL |
||
| Amitriptyline
+ Nortriptyline |
Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
Amphetamine
Amphetamines (Resolution of D, L isomers) Ratio |
Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Urine | 5 mL |
Sterile plastic | |
| Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic | |
| Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic | |
| Amylobarbitone
|
Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Arsenic | Blood Urine |
5 mL 10 mL |
EDTA Sterile plastic |
| Barbiturates
(Various) |
Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic | |
| Barium | Plasma Urine |
2 mL 10 mL |
EDTA Sterile plastic |
| Bendroflumethiazide (see Thiazide Screen) | |||
| Benzene (see Phenol) | |||
Benzodiazepines (Immunoassay screen)
|
Urine | 5 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Blood | 2 mL |
Li-heparin | |
| Blood count and film | Blood | 2 mL |
EDTA |
| Buprenorphine | Urine | 5 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Butobarbitone |
Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Cadmium | Blood Urine |
0.5 mL 10 mL |
Special EDTA Sterile plastic |
| Caffeine |
Plasma | 0.5 mL 0.2 mL (neonates) |
Li-heparin |
| Cannabinoid
(D9 THC - COOH) (main THC metabolite) |
Blood Plasma Urine |
2 mL 2 mL 5 mL |
Li-heparin Li-heparin Sterile plastic |
| Cannabis, Cannabinoid (immunoassay screen) | Urine | 5 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Carbamazepine |
Plasma | 0.5 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Carbon monoxide (Carboxyhaemoglobin) | Blood | 2 mL |
EDTA |
| Chloral (see Trichloroethanol) | |||
| Chloral hydrate (see Trichloroethanol) | |||
| Chlormethiazole | Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Chlorothiazide (see Thiazide Screen) | |||
| Chlorphenoxy
acid herbicides (Mecoprop, dichlorprop, 2,4-D) |
Plasma | 5 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Chlorthalidone (see Thiazide Screen) | |||
| Chromium | Blood Urine |
1 mL 10 mL |
Special EDTA Sterile plastic |
| Clomipramine
(+ desmethyl Clomipramine) |
Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Cocaine | Plasma | 2 mL |
Fluoride oxalate |
| Cocaine and metabolites |
Urine | 5 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Codeine |
Plasma Urine |
2 mL 10 mL |
Li-heparin Sterile plastic |
| Copper | Plasma Urine |
0.5 mL 10 mL |
Li-heparin Sterile plastic |
| Copper + Zinc | Serum | 1.0 mL |
Plain (clotted) |
| Cotinine | Urine | 5 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Cyanide | Blood | 5 mL |
Fluoride oxalate |
| Cyclizine |
Urine | 5 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Desipramine |
Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Dextropropoxyphene (+ Nordextropropoxyphene) |
Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Diazepam +
Nordiazepam |
Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Diethylpropion (GC confirmation) | Urine | 5 ml |
Sterile plastic |
| Digoxin |
Plasma | 0.5 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Dihydrocodeine
(DF118) |
Plasma Urine |
2 mL 10 mL |
Li-heparin Sterile plastic |
| Diphenhydramine | Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-Heparin |
| Dipipanone |
Urine | 5 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Diuretic (Thiazides) Screen HPLC | Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Dothiepin +
Nordothiepin |
Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Drug Screen (Full unknown qualitative screen) | Urine Blood |
30 mL 10 mL |
Sterile
plastic Fluoride oxalate |
| Drugs of Abuse Screen | Urine | 20 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Ephedrine | Urine | 5 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Ethanol |
Urine Blood |
15 mL 2 mL |
Sterile
plastic Fluoride oxalate |
| Ethosuximide |
Plasma | 0.5 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Ethyl benzene (see Mandelic acid) | |||
| Ethylene
glycol (Ethanediol) |
Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Etorphine | Plasma | 5 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Fluoxetine (+ Norfluoxetine) | Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Gabapentin | Plasma | 0.5 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Haemoglobin | Blood | 2 mL |
EDTA |
| Hippuric acid | Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Hydrochlorothiazide (see Thiazide Screen) | |||
| Hydroflumethiazide (see Thiazide Screen) | |||
| 1-Hydroxypyrene (1-pyrenol) | Urine | 20 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Imipramine (+
Desipramine) |
Plasma | 5 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Indapamide (see Thiazide Screen) | |||
| Isopropanol (Isopropyl alcohol) | Blood | 5 mL |
Fluoride oxalate |
| Lamotrigine |
Plasma | 0.5 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Laxative Abuse Screen | Urine | 30 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Lead | Blood Urine Water |
0.5 mL 10 mL 10 mL |
Special EDTA Sterile plastic Sterile plastic |
| Lithium (Occupational Exposure) | Plasma Urine |
2 mL 5 mL |
Special EDTA Sterile plastic |
| Lofepramine (see Desipramine) | Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| LSD |
Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Mandelic acid | Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Mercury Mercury |
Urine Blood |
20 mL 5 mL |
Sterile
plastic EDTA |
Methadone
|
Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic | |
| Methamphetamine |
Urine Plasma |
5 mL 2 mL |
Sterile
plastic Li-heparin |
| Methanol (methyl alcohol) | Blood | 2 mL |
Fluoride oxalate |
| Methylchlorothiazide (see Thiazide Screen) | |||
| Methylenedioxyamphetamine Methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) |
Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin | |
Methylenedioxyethylamphetamine
|
Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin | |
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine
|
Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin | |
| Methylhippuric acid | Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Metolazone (see Thiazide Screen) | |||
| Mianserin | Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Midazolam + metabolites | Plasma | 2 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Morphine
Morphine + Morphine 3- and 6- glucuronides |
Plasma | 2 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic | |
| Plasma | 5 mL |
Li-heparin | |
| Nickel | Urine | 20 ml |
Sterile plastic |
| Nitrazepam | Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Nortriptyline | Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Opiates |
Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Orphenadrine | Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Oxazepam |
Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Paracetamol | Plasma Urine |
2 mL 10 mL |
Li-heparin Sterile plastic |
| Paraquat |
Plasma Urine |
2 mL 10 mL |
Li-heparin Sterile plastic |
| PCP | Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Pentazocine | Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Pethidine | Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Phenobarbitone
|
Plasma Urine |
0.5 mL 10 mL |
Li-heparin Sterile plastic |
| Phenol | Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Phentermine | Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Phenytoin |
Plasma | 0.5 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Polythiazide (see Thiazide Screen) | |||
| Propanolol | Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Pseudoephedrine | Urine | 5 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Quinalbarbitone
|
Plasma Urine |
2 mL 10 mL |
Li-heparin Sterile plastic |
| Quinine |
Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Salicylate | Plasma Urine |
2 mL 10 mL |
Li-heparin Sterile plastic |
| Selenium | Plasma Urine |
0.5 mL 10 mL |
Li-heparin Sterile plastic |
| Selenium + Copper + Zinc | Serum | 2 mL |
plain tube |
| Styrene (see Mandelic acid) | |||
| Sulphonylurea HPLC Screen | Urine Plasma |
2 mL 2 mL |
Sterile
Universal Li-heparin |
| Temazepam |
Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Thallium | Blood Urine |
5 mL 20 mL |
Li-heparin Sterile plastic |
| Thiazide Screen (diurectic screen) |
Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Theophylline |
Plasma | 0.5 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Thiopentone |
Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Tofenacin | Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Toluene (see Hippuric Acid) | |||
| Tramadol + nortramadol (o-desmethyltramadol) | Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Trichloroacetic acid (Specific) Quantitative | Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Trichloroethylene (see Trichloroacetic acid) | |||
| Trichloro-compounds (Qualitative) | Urine | 5 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Trichloroethanol | Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Tricyclic
Antidepressants (Total) by immunoassay |
Plasma | 1 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Unknown Drug Screen (Full Qualitative Screen) | Urine Blood or Plasma |
30 mL 10 mL 5 mL |
Sterile
plastic Li-heparin/EDTA |
| Valproic Acid |
Plasma | 0.5 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Venlafaxine | Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Vigabatrin |
Plasma | 0.5mL |
Li-heparin |
| Volatile substances screen | Blood | 10 mL |
Li-heparin |
| Xylene (see Methylhippuric acid) | |||
| Zinc | Serum Urine |
0.5 mL 10 mL |
Plain tube Sterile plastic |
| Zinc + Copper | Serum | 1.0 mL |
Plain tube (clotted) |
| ZPP (Erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin) | Blood | 2 mL |
EDTA |
TUBE TYPES v CAP COLOURS
The use of blood tubes with 'gel' separators should always be avoided.
Greiner Labortechnik Ltd. tube types for all Toxicology Requests (City Hospital NHS Trust):
All requests for assays requiring blood/plasma/serum, there is now only 1 recommended collection container.
Greiner Tube Type |
Cap
Colour |
Ring Colour
|
|
|
|
Sodium Heparin |
Royal Blue |
Black |
External Laboratories or Laboratories not using
Greiner Labortechnik Tubes
Other Tube Type ? Cap colour Fluoride Oxalate Yellow Lithium Heparin Orange EDTA Red Plain (Clotted) - no gel White Sodium Citrate Green
Last modified: January 29, 2001
Copyright © [Regional Laboratory for Toxicology]. All rights reserved.