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We rely on the skills of our clients to provide the quality of specimens required for accurate test results. Correct patient/employee preparation, specimen collection, and shipping are essential. Please refer to specific test listings for individual requirements. Some general considerations follow:
- LABELING OF SPECIMENS - Specimens submitted for analysis must be properly labeled with the patient's/employee's full name, date and time of collection and specimen type if not obvious tie. plasma).
- STORAGE AND SHIPPING - Please follow analyte-specific instructions for storage and shipment of specimens.
- REQUISITION - Specimen(s) must be accompanied by a requisition. Each requisition should contain the patient/employee name, age, sex, date drawn, test requested, and pertinent billing information (please refer to the "Billing Policies" section of this Directory of Services). Please keep the back copy of the requisition for your office records. Customized multiple patient/employee requisitions are available upon request.
- BIOLOGICAL MONITORING (special considerations)-
- (i) Specimens for many biological monitoring analytes are best obtained at a specified time;
please refer to individual test requirements or to the Biological Exposure Index (BEl) section.
- (ii) Serum for PCB, pesticide and herbicide analysis should optimally be collected in plain red top tubes (without separator gel) and transported in plastic vials or glass tubes with teflon-lined caps. Analytical interference is often seen if serum is collected in serum separator tubes and may also be seen if serum is transported in vials with rubber stoppers.
- (iii) Lavender top tubes collected for whole blood analysis of volatile compounds tie. solvents) should be completely filled and kept under refrigeration. Partially filled tubes may compromise results by allowing the compound under question to escape into the open space above the blood sample and consequently be lost when the tube is opened for sampling. Under no circumstances should any specimen for analysis of a volatile compound be opened or transferred to another tube prior to shipping.
- (iv) Refrigeration is adequate for storage of most specimens, but occasionally freezing or special preservatives are needed; see individual specimen requirements.
SPECIMEN TYPES
| WHOLE BLOOD: |
Please use the anticoagulant recommended under specimen requirements. Fill tube completely; this is very important when collecting specimens for analysis of volatiles (solvents). Immediately after collection gently mix by inverting the tube 5 times. Refrigerate, unless otherwise specified; ship with but not against an ice pack.
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| SERUM: |
Draw sufficient blood in plain red top tubes (preferred for most biological monitoring) or serum separatortubes (SST) to yield required serum volume (see specimen requirements for the analysis being ordered). Leave stopper intact throughout collection and centrifugation. Perform venipuncture and if using SST tubes invert the tube gently five times as specified in the manufactures instructions; further inversion may alter specimen integrity. Allow blood to clot at room temperature for a minimum of 30, but not longer than 60 minutes (leaving the serum on the clot for more than 60 minutes may alter test results). Centrifuge at maximum speed (2200 to 2500 rpm) for 15 minutes. Remove stopper avoiding serum contamination with red cells. CarefuIly pipette (plain red top tube) or pour (SST tube) serum into a labeled serum transport vial. Do not send SST tubes to the laboratory. The tubes must be spun within sixty minutes of collection and the serum poured off into a plastic serum transport tube. Refrigerate, unless otherwise specified.
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| PLASMA: |
Draw sufficient amount of blood with recommended anticoagulant to yield required plasma volume. Immediately after collection gently mix by inverting tube 5 times. Centrifuge at maximum speed for 10 minutes. Remove stopper and pipette plasma to a labeled plastic vial. Be sure to label the vial "plasma". Refrigerate.
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| BLOOD SLIDES: |
A properly prepared blood slide or smear is necessary to perform an accurate white blood cell (WBC) differential count, detect the presence of abnormal cells and evaluate the size and number of platelets. The distribution and morphology of cells can be altered by poor slide preparation or the use of EDTA whole blood instead of fresh blood for slide preparation. Please label each slide with the patient's name.
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| RANDOM URINE: |
Please follow specific specimen requirements for the analysis requested. Specimens for most analyses may be collected and transported in plastic screw-capped vials, but some may require special handling and/or preservatives. In addition, you may wish to refer to the "Biological Exposure Indices (BEI) Testing" section of this Directory of Services for recommended times of collection. Specimensfor urinalysis and/or urine culture and sensitivity must be collected by the clean-catch midstream method using the sterile containers provided by the laboratory. Urine should then be transferred according to instructions to special gray-stoppered urine transport tubes which contain a preservative to prevent further growth of bacteria. The first urine voided in the morning is the recommended and preferred specimen; please indicate the date and time of collection on the test requisition form and the container label.
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| ADIPOSE TISSUE E: |
Please contact the Client Services department for detailed instructions on collection and shipping of adipose tissue specimens.
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BLOOD COLLECTION TUBES
| SERUM SEPARATOR TUBE (SST): |
Contains a gel which when centrifuged forms a barrier to separate the blood cells (clot) and the serum. Used to collect serum for most routine medical surveillance testing. For the most accurate test results, it is best if serum is not transported in this tube, but poured-off and transported in a plastic vial.
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| RED TOP TUBE: |
Contains no anticoagulant or preservative. Used for serum samples in which contact with serum separator gel tie. SST) may cause interference with the analysis tie. serum PCB and pesticide and herbicide measurements, as well as, serum to be archived).
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| ROYAL BLUE TOP TUBE: |
Contains EDTA and used for whole blood analysis of trace metals.
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| GRAY TOP TUBE: |
Contains sodium fluoride as preservative and potassium oxalate as anticoagulant; used for both whole blood and plasma analyses: glucose, acetone, and alcohols.
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| LAVENDER TOP TUBE: |
Contains EDTA as anticoagulant. Used for various hematology procedures (CBC, hematocrit, etc.), cholinesterase and blood solvent determinations.
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| SERUM TRANSPORT VIAL: |
Plastic vial with screw cap or glass tube with teflon-lined screw cap; used for transport of serum or plasma transferred from original blood collection tubes.
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PLEASE NOTE: If any specimen collection requirements are not clearly understood, or, not given, please contact the laboratory for instructions before sample collection is done.
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SHIPPING SPECIMENS
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Contact Airborne Express at (800)247-2676 and tell them you need same day pick-up service of a package for overnight delivery. The airbills can be provided with the collection supplies and pre-printed for shipping to Pacific Toxicology Laboratories. The form will be marked as "Bill Recipient" and you will not be billed for a shipping charge by Airborne Express.
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Note: IF YOU ARE SHIPPING ON FRIDAY, PLEASE MARK "SATURDAY" DELIVERY ON THE FORM.
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SPECIMEN RETENTION
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Clinical specimens are routinely retained for one (1) week after samples are received. Chemical exposure specimens are retained for two (2) weeks after analysis is performed. Failure to notify PTL in writing of a request for specimen storage or return will be considered authorization to discard or destroy the specimens.
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