• Collect one tube of blood using a 10 ml glass Sodium Heperanized green top Vacutainer tube. Becton Dickinson Ref# 366480. For Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead and Mercury (anti-caogulated sample)
• Gently mix, then centrifuge with the stopper on for 15 minutes. Sample must be spun and separated within 30 minutes.
• Take off the plasma and the buffycoat from the tube, and just a little of the red cells, using a polyethylene transfer pipette and discard this. Make sure there is no plasma left on the red cells.
• Pour the remaining red cells from the tube into a 7 ml Sarstedt polypropylene tube. Be sure to let all the blood drain into the tube.
• Store at -20º C until mailing.
  

Collection Procedure for Whole Blood:

• Collect one tube of blood using 10 ml glass Sodium Heperanized green top Vacutainer tube. Becton Dickinson Ref# 366480. For Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead and Mercury (anti-caogulated sample).
• Gently mix.
• Store at 4ºC until mailing.

Collection Procedure for Plasma::

• Collect one tube of blood using 10 ml glass Sodium Heperanized green top Vacutainer tube. Becton Dickinson Ref# 366480.
• Gently mix, then centrifuge with the stopper on for 15 minutes. Samples must be spun and separated within 30 minutes.
• Transfer the plasma, using a polypropylene transfer pipette into a 7 ml Sarstedt polypropylene tube.
• Store at 4ºC, or -20ºC until mailing
  

Collection Procedure for Serum::

• Collect one tube of blood using a plastic 7 ml non-additive, red label blue top Vacutainer tube. Becton Dickinson Ref# 368380. Suitable for all except for Antimony and Nickel.
• Allow blood to clot for 20 minutes, then centrifuge with the stopper on for 15 minutes.
• Transfer the serum, using a polypropylene transfer pipette into a 7 ml Sarstedt polypropylene tube.
• Store at 4ºC, or -20ºC until mailing.
  

Collection Procedure for 24 hour urine:

Use a wide mouthed 4 L polypropylene or polyethylene container. If needed use a beaker to collect urine, keep beaker in plastic bag during collection period.

Instructions to the Patient:
It is recommended that collection be made early in the morning (e.g. 0700 h day 1), but may actually be started at any time.

• Patients voids urine to empty bladder completely. The time is noted at the start of the collection. This urine is discarded and is not part of the collection.
• All voidings are then collected into the 24 h urine container or in the beaker, as they are passed, up to and including the last voiding at the 24th hour of the collection (e.g. 0700h day 2). If using the beaker, place the beaker in the plastic bag in between collections.
• The urine container is kept in the refrigerator during the collection.
• Accurately label the requisition and container with the patient's ID, time urine started, time finished and dates.
• Read the total volume from the urine container, note the total volume on the requisition.
• Mix the urine container and fill one 13 ml Sartedt polypropylene tube, make sure to fill it almost to the top. Label with patient name and date.

Dietary restrictions:

• Aluminum - limit fruit juices and tea 24 hours before
• Arsenic - avoid seafood consumption five days prior to collecting sample
• Mercury - avoid seafood consumption three days prior to collecting sample.

Note: Containers do not need to be acid washed, if possible rinse out with MilliQ® R-O water. No preservative is needed for the collection of the 24-hour urine.

Random urine collection

• Collect midstream urine into a sterile 100 ml container. Make sure the inside of the lid is without paper product.
• If mailing back in small box, shake the container and fill one 13 ml Sartedt polypropylene tube (make sure to fill it to the top), label with patient name and date.

Dietary restrictions:

• Aluminum - limit fruit juices and tea 24 hours before
• Arsenic - avoid seafood consumption five days prior to collecting sample
• Mercury - avoid seafood consumption three days prior to collecting sample
  
  Note: Containers do not need to be acid washed.
  
  

Collection Procedure for Hair::

• Hair should be collected closest to the scalp and cut at the nape of the neck.
• Collect in several places, from 6 to 8 spots.
• One heaping teaspoon is needed.
• For long hair, save 1 inch of hair from the scalp end, and place in the plastic envelope.
• For short hair, thinning shears can be used.
• The test should not be done if hair has been permed, bleached or dyed in the past two months.
• Be sure to fill out the requisition, put patient names, age, sex and date on the plastic envelope.
  

Tissue collection:

• Mount a paraffin block and send the whole block or part of.

OR

• Use only powder-free gloves. Use powder-free plastic gloves whenever possible, or rinse the exterior powder from surgical latex gloves with deionized water.
• If possible transfer the tissue with Teflon or plastic coated forceps.
• Rinse the tissue sample with deionized water or saline, after collection and immediately place it in a polypropylene test tube. Close the tube securely and transport to lab immediately.
• If immediate transport is not an option, the tissue can be frozen and then shipped to the laboratory in an insulated container.
• Samples for analysis may include paraffin blocks, fresh or frozen tissue in saline or formalin.
• Paraffin blocks are the preferred sample.