Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing has emerged as an effective method for identifying alcohol and drug usage. Hair captures biomarkers within the fibers of its growing strands, offering a comprehensive timeline of substance use. When sourced near the scalp, hair can reveal a detection period of up to about three months for alcohol and drugs. The collection process is straightforward, alteration is challenging, and it can be easily sent for analysis.
A sample of 1.5 inches, equating to approximately 200 strands (about the thickness of a #2 pencil) near the scalp, provides 100mg of hair, which is the ideal amount for both screening and confirmation processes. For EtG, additional tests, or panels exceeding 10, a specimen weighing 150mg is advised. It is recommended to use a jeweler’s scale for measuring. In the absence of scalp hair, body hair of equivalent mass can be collected. The term "head hair" is specific to scalp hair, while "body hair" encompasses other types (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The laboratory processing of a drug test result consists of four primary steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning is the initial step where a sample is logged into a laboratory’s system. This involves confirming the sample was properly sealed and transported, assigning a LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody.
Screening is a preliminary evaluation for drugs of abuse. Although cost-effective for identifying negative results across most samples, any positive findings in Screening require confirmation to be valid in legal settings. Presumptive positive samples necessitate a secondary confirmation.
During Extraction, additional hair is taken from the original sample for further analysis if a presumptive positive is found in Screening. In this phase, substances are extracted from hair at considerably lower concentrations compared to other methods like urine or oral fluid, highlighting why hair testing is the most intricate methodology.
Positive results from the Screening are confirmed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS analyses. Before confirmation, all presumptive positive samples are cleansed as required. The laboratory’s process, from Accessioning through to Confirmation, undergoes scrutiny under both CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although commonly known as "hair follicle tests", the test itself assesses the hair strand rather than the follicle located beneath the scalp.
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