Mercury, Whole Blood MERCB
| Method(s) | Atomic Absorption/Inductively Coupled Plasma-/Mass Spectrometry |
|---|---|
| Specimen Required | |
| Collect | One 7 mL royal blue (K2EDTA or Na2EDTA) top tube. |
| Transport | 7 mL whole blood at 20-25°C in the original collection tube (preferred). (Min: 0.5 mL) |
| Stability | Ambient: 1 week; Refrigerated: 1 week; Frozen: Unacceptable |
| Unacceptable Conditions | Heparin anticoagulant. |
| Schedule | Daily |
| Billing Code | 5010446 |
| CPTCode | 83825 |
| Notes | Elevated results from noncertified trace element-free collection tubes may be due to contamination. Elevated concentrations of trace elements in blood should be confirmed with a second specimen collected in a tube designed for trace element determinations, such as a royal blue (Na2EDTA) tube. 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 48-72 hours. |
| Preferred Specimen Collection Device(s) | |
| Reference Interval | |
|
0-10 microgram/L |
|
