Toxic Metals in Urine (As, Ba, Be, Cd, Hg, Pb, TI, U)
Clinical Specimen Submission Guidance
Submit all specimens to 50 Orms St, Providence RI 02904. Open Monday to Friday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
Chemical Threats Laboratory (401) 222-5606
Arsenic (As), Barium (Ba), Beryllium (Be), Cadmium (Cd), Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg), Thallium (TI), Uranium (U)
Toxic metals poisoning
Urine is analyzed by ICP/MS.
IMMEDIATELY notify the RISHL Chemical Threats Laboratory at (401) 222-5606 for a potential agent of Chemical Terrorism.
PREAUTHORIZATION is required prior to transporting specimens.
Collect urine in lot screened sterile metal free urine cup within 48 hours. Optimal volume is 4 - 7 mL, minimum volume 2 mL.
Freeze urine at -20°± 5°C until transport.
CLIA regulations require specimens be labeled with at least two patient identifiers. Examples of identifiers are first and last name, date of birth, chart/medical record number. The specimen container must be labeled to match the test requisition or the electronic order.
Rhode Island State Health Laboratories (RISHL) requisition form https://health.ri.gov/forms/LabRequisitionForm.pdf with appropriate Chemical Threats sticker attached.
Toxic Metals in Urine
PREAUTHORIZATION is required prior to transporting specimens.
Frozen: If specimen previously frozen, it must be transported on frozen gel packs in insulated shipper.
Specimens must be transported and packaged in accordance with current federal shipping regulations.
Varies: less than the 95th percentile listed in the CDC 'Fourth National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals: Update 2017