Arsenic, Blood
Test Mnemonic
ASB
CPT Codes
- 82175 - QTY (1)
LOINC ®
5583-0
Performing Laboratory
ARUP
Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 mL | Whole blood | EDTA (Royal blue) | Ambient | HEAVY METALS FORM REQUIRED to meet State Health Department requirements. Patient Prep: Diet, medication, and nutritional supplements may introduce interfering substances. Patient should be encouraged to discontinue nutritional supplements, vitamins, minerals, and non-essential over-the-counter medications (upon the advice of their physician) and avoid shellfish and seafood for 48 to 72 hours. Send blood in original tube. |
Minimum Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 mL |
Stability
| Environmental Condition | Description |
|---|---|
| Ambient | Indefinitely |
| Refrigerated | Indefinitely |
| Frozen | Unacceptable |
Days Performed
Sun - Sat
Turnaround Time
2 - 4 days
Methodology
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Inductively Coupled Plasma / Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) |
Reference Range
| Arsenic, Blood | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sex | Age From | Age To | Type | Range | Range Unit |
| Normal | 0.0 - 12.0 | ug/L |
Special Info
Patient demographics (Heavy Metals) form is required to meet State Health Department requirements. Patient Prep: Diet, medication, and nutritional supplements may introduce interfering substances. Patient should be encouraged to discontinue nutritional supplements, vitamins, minerals, and non-essential over-the-counter medications (upon the advice of their physician) and avoid shellfish and seafood for 48 to 72 hours. Specimens collected in tubes other than royal blue (EDTA), or specimens transported in containers other than royal blue (EDTA) tubes or trace element-free transport tubes will be rejected. Heparin anticoagulant and clotted specimens are unacceptable. This test is New York DOH approved.
Clinical Info
Indication: Toxicity-arsenic poisoning. Potentially toxic range: > or = 600 ug/L. Blood arsenic is for the detection of recent exposure poisoning only. Blood arsenic levels in healthy subjects vary considerably with exposure to arsenic in the diet and the environment. A 24-hour urine arsenic is useful for the detection of chronic exposure. Elevated results may be due to skin or collection-related contamination, including the use of a noncertified metal-free collection/transport tube. If contamination concerns exist due to elevated levels of blood arsenic, confirmation with a second specimen collected in a certified metal-free tube is recommended.