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.

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 (Immunoassay screen) Amphetamines (Resolution of D, L isomers) Ratio Amphetamine (Confirmation)	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) Barbiturates	Plasma	2 mL	Li-heparin
Barbiturates (Various) Barbiturates	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) Benzodiazepines (Various)	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 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	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 Methadone, methadone metabolite (EDDP)	Plasma	2 mL	Li-heparin
Methadone Methadone, methadone metabolite (EDDP)	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 (MDA) Methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA)	Urine	10 mL	Sterile plastic
	Plasma	2 mL	Li-heparin
Methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA) Methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA)	Urine	10 mL	Sterile plastic
	Plasma	2 mL	Li-heparin
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy) Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy)	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 + 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

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