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
Amphetamines (Resolution of D, L isomers) Ratio
|
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 (Identification) |
|||
| Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic | |
| Barium |
Plasma Urine |
2 mL 10 mL |
EDTA Sterile plastic |
| Bendroflumethiazide (see Thiazide Screen) | |||
Benzodiazepines (Immunoassay screen)
|
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 |
Li-heparin |
| Cannabinoid
(D9 THC - COOH) (main THC metabolite) |
Blood Plasma |
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)
|
Plasma Urine |
2 mL 10 mL |
Li-heparin
- QUANT ONLY 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 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
|
Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin - QUANT ONLY |
| Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic | |
| Methamphetamine
|
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
Methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) |
Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin - QUANT ONLY | |
Methylenedioxyethylamphetamine
|
Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin - QUANT ONLY | |
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine
|
Urine | 10 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| Plasma | 2 mL |
Li-heparin - QUANT ONLY | |
| Metolazone (see Thiazide Screen) | |||
| Midazolam + metabolites | Plasma | 2 mL |
Sterile plastic |
| 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 | 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
Copyright © [West Midlands Toxicology Laboratory]. All rights reserved.