Assay Sampling Requirements-new

Summary of Assay Availability & Specimen Requirements

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.

For ALL Drugs of Abuse screens, please send 10-15mL of Urine
- Blood, Plasma, Serum CANNOT be used.

For ALL Toxicology screens, please send 20-30mL of Urine + 5mL of Blood.

The Trace Elements section can now offer a 51 element semi-quantitative screen!!

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 - QUANT ONLY Amphetamines (Immunoassay screen) Amphetamines (Resolution of D, L isomers) Ratio Amphetamine (Confirmation)	Plasma	2 mL	Li-heparin Forensic ONLY
	Urine	5 mL	Sterile plastic
	Urine	10 mL	Sterile plastic
	Urine	10 mL	Sterile plastic
Antimony	Urine	10 mL	Sterile plastic
Arsenic	Blood Urine	5 mL 10 mL	EDTA Sterile plastic
Barbiturates (Immunoassay screen) Barbiturates (Identification)
	Urine	10 mL	Sterile plastic
Barium	Plasma Urine	2 mL 10 mL	EDTA Sterile plastic
Bendroflumethiazide (see Thiazide Screen)
Benzodiazepines (Immunoassay screen) Benzodiazepines (Various) - QUANT ONLY	Urine	5 mL	Sterile plastic
	Blood	2 mL	Li-heparin - QUANT ONLY
Bismuth	Blood Urine	0.5 mL 10 mL	Special EDTA Sterile plastic
Boron	Plasma Urine	2 mL 10 mL	EDTA Sterile plastic
Buprenorphine	Urine	5 mL	Sterile plastic
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	2 mL 2 mL	Li-heparin Li-heparin QUANTS ONLY
Cannabis, Cannabinoid (immunoassay screen)	Urine	5 mL	Sterile plastic
Carbamazepine	Plasma	0.5 mL	Li-heparin
Carbon monoxide (Carboxyhaemoglobin)	Blood	2 mL	EDTA
Chlorothiazide (see Thiazide Screen)
Chlorphenoxy acid herbicides (Mecoprop, dichlorprop, 2,4-D)	No Longer	Available	Try HSE labs, Buxton
Chlorthalidone (see Thiazide Screen)
Chromium	Blood Urine	1 mL 10 mL	Special EDTA Sterile plastic
Clomipramine (+ desmethyl Clomipramine)	Plasma	2 mL	Li-heparin
Cobalt	Plasma Urine	2 mL 10 mL	Li-heparin Sterile plastic
Cocaine - QUANT ONLY	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)
Cyclizine	Urine	5 mL	Sterile plastic
Desipramine	Plasma	2 mL	Li-heparin
Diethylpropion (GC confirmation)	Urine	5 ml	Sterile plastic
Digoxin	Plasma	0.5 mL	Li-heparin
Dihydrocodeine (DF118) - Urine for ALL screening	Plasma Urine	2 mL 10 mL	Li-heparin - QUANT ONLY Sterile plastic
Diphenhydramine	Plasma	2 mL	Li-Heparin
Dipipanone GC confirmation	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 Plasma	30 mL 2 mL 5 mL	Sterile plastic Fluoride oxalate Li-heparin
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) Diethylene glycol	Plasma	2 mL	Li-heparin
Etorphine	Plasma	5 mL	Li-heparin
Fluoxetine (+ Norfluoxetine)	Plasma	2 mL	Li-heparin
Haemoglobin	Blood	2 mL	EDTA
Hydrochlorothiazide (see Thiazide Screen)
Hydroflumethiazide (see Thiazide Screen)
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
Manganese	Blood Urine	0.5 mL 10 mL	Special EDTA Sterile plastic
Mercury Mercury	Urine Blood	20 mL 5 mL	Sterile plastic EDTA
Methadone - Urine for ALL screening Methadone, methadone metabolite (EDDP)	Plasma	2 mL	Li-heparin - QUANT ONLY
	Urine	10 mL	Sterile plastic
Methamphetamine - Urine for ALL screening	Urine Plasma	5 mL 2 mL	Sterile plastic Li-heparin - QUANT ONLY
Methanol (methyl alcohol)	Blood	2 mL	Fluoride oxalate
Methylchlorothiazide (see Thiazide Screen)
Methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) Methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA)	Urine	10 mL	Sterile plastic
	Plasma	2 mL	Li-heparin - QUANT ONLY
Methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA) Methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA)	Urine	10 mL	Sterile plastic
	Plasma	2 mL	Li-heparin - QUANT ONLY
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy) Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy)	Urine	10 mL	Sterile plastic
	Plasma	2 mL	Li-heparin - QUANT ONLY
Metolazone (see Thiazide Screen)
Midazolam + metabolites	Plasma	2 mL	Sterile plastic
Morphine - Urine for ALL screening Morphine Morphine + Morphine 3- and 6- glucuronides	Plasma	2 mL	Sterile plastic QUANT ONLY
	Urine	10 mL	Sterile plastic
	Plasma	5 mL	Li-heparin - QUANT ONLY
Nickel	Blood Plasma Urine	2.0 mL 2.0 mL 10 mL	Special EDTA Special EDTA Sterile plastic
Nitrazepam	Plasma	2 mL	Li-heparin
Nortriptyline	Plasma	2 mL	Li-heparin
Opiates - Urine for ALL screening	Urine	10 mL	Sterile plastic
Palladium	Blood	2.0 mL	Special EDTA
Paracetamol	Plasma Urine	2 mL 10 mL	Li-heparin Sterile plastic
PCP	Urine	10 mL	Sterile plastic
Pethidine - qualitative ONLY	Urine	10 mL	Sterile plastic
Phenobarbitone	Plasma Urine	0.5 mL 10 mL	Li-heparin Sterile plastic
Phentermine	Urine	10 mL	Sterile plastic
Phenytoin	Plasma	0.5 mL	Li-heparin
Polythiazide (see Thiazide Screen)

Pseudoephedrine	Urine	5 mL	Sterile plastic
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
Spiked Drink Screen - No Longer available
Sulphonylurea HPLC Screen	Urine Plasma	2 mL 2 mL	Sterile Universal Li-heparin
Tellurium	Urine	2 mL	Sterile Universal
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
Titanium	Urine Plasma	2 mL 2 mL	Sterile Universal Li-heparin
Toluene (see Hippuric Acid)
Tramadol + nortramadol (o-desmethyltramadol)	Plasma	2 mL	Li-heparin
Trichloro-compounds (Qualitative)	Urine	5 mL	Sterile plastic
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
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 (Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals 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: September 12, 2011

Other Tube Type	? Cap colour

Fluoride Oxalate	Yellow
Lithium Heparin	Orange
EDTA	Red
Plain (Clotted) - no gel	White
Sodium Citrate	Green

Summary of Assay Availability & Specimen Requirements

Ring Colour