Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis has become recognized as a robust method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair can capture a historical record of alcohol and substances by embedding biomarkers within the strands of hair as it grows. When obtained near the scalp, hair can offer a detection timeframe of up to about three months for identifying alcohol and other substances. The collection process for hair is straightforward, is less prone to tampering, and is convenient for transport.
A sample measuring 1.5 inches comprising roughly 200 hair strands (around the width of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg, which is the optimal sample size for analysis and verification. For additional panels like EtG, or testing above 10 panels, a specimen size of 150mg is suggested. It is advisable to use a jeweler’s scale to weigh the sample. Should scalp hair not be accessible, a similar quantity of body hair is acceptable. "Head hair" specifically refers to scalp hair, whereas "body hair" denotes other hair types (such as facial and axillary).
Process Overview
The primary stages in the lab processing of a drug test outcome include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Certification.
During Accessioning, the sample is initially integrated into a laboratory’s systems. This step encompasses checking the sample for proper sealing and shipping, generating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizing any further data input not available through an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening entails an initial swift evaluation for abusive substances. Although Screening is a budget-friendly method to discard drug use in most samples, a positive result must be validated to be valid in court. Any samples with a presumptive positive during Screening necessitate further confirmation.
If a sample shows presumptive positivity in the Screening phase, more hair is extracted from the original sample and set up for Extraction. In this phase, substances are isolated from hair at a considerably lower concentration compared to other techniques (like urine or oral fluid), highlighting why hair drug analysis is the most challenging procedure to execute.
Validation of any positive Screening result takes place using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Samples marked presumptive positive undergo washing pre-confirmation when required. The full laboratory journey from Accessioning to Confirmation is assessed under both the Hair specification by CAP (College of American Pathologists) and the compliance to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although frequently mentioned as "hair follicle tests", the actual analysis observes the hair strand instead of the follicle beneath the scalp.
Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Hayti, MO
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