Blood Spot & Dried Urine Collection for ICP-MS Testing

Blood Spot & Dried Urine Collection for ICP-MS Testing

This guide covers blood spot and dried urine collection for ICP-MS testing with the BU-746 toxic and essential elements panel. Read the blood spot and dried urine ICP-MS instructions before collecting your samples. The matching Heavy Metals & Mineral Balance Test uses both sample types. The test page lists zinc, copper, magnesium, selenium, cadmium and mercury in blood spot, and iodine, bromine, selenium, lithium, arsenic, cadmium, mercury and creatinine in urine. The broader Heavy Metals & Essential Elements Collection Instructions explains the collection steps. Match your test code to its panel table because materials and required collections can vary.

Before collecting urine

Read the panel-specific instructions first and check whether your kit requires one or both urine collection times. The general guide lists a first sample upon waking and a second before bed. For the waking sample, follow the guide’s instructions about food, water, supplements and medicines. Do not delay or change prescribed medicine without advice from your healthcare professional. Limit water to no more than 8 oz in the hour before each urine collection so the sample is not too dilute.

The guide gives specific advice for iodine and selenium. If you take these supplements daily, it says to continue your usual routine. If you eat foods high in iodine or selenium, or take those supplements only periodically, it says to avoid them the day before and the day of urine collection. Follow the PDF for the details that apply to your routine.

Collect and dry the urine cards

At each required collection time, write your name, date and time on a separate card before collecting. The guide says to saturate the filter paper either by urinating directly onto it or by collecting urine in a clean cup. If using a cup, dip the paper up to the top black dash line. Hang or tape the card securely so the wet filter paper does not touch anything. Let it dry completely for at least six hours before refolding it and sealing it in its bag. Keep dry cards in their bags; do not leave them out for more than 24 hours.

Collect the dried blood spot

The guide says to collect blood within one hour of waking. Write your details on the card before washing your hands, then wash and dry them and warm them to help circulation. Open the card without touching the filter paper and secure it to a flat surface below heart level and below your waist. Clean a finger with the alcohol pad and let it air-dry. Use the supplied lancet as directed, then wipe away the first drop with gauze.

Place one drop in each circle without overlapping. The blood should soak through the card; the guide prioritises well-saturated spots over partially filled ones. Leave the card open to dry for at least four hours, then close it and store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

Check sample quality and return the kit

For ICP-MS testing, follow the kit’s sample-quality and return instructions carefully. The guide warns that wet, unsealed or too-dilute urine samples, and samples more than 30 days old, may be rejected. Make sure each card is completely dry before packing it. Complete the paperwork and return the samples using the supplied kit box, packaging and carrier instructions. The product page lists results within 3–5 working days after the laboratory receives the samples.

Explore related tests

Browse the Heavy Metals & Essential Elements Tests collection or review the BU-746 Heavy Metals & Mineral Balance Test details. Follow the exact instructions supplied with your kit.

This article is for sample-collection information only, not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment guidance. Follow your kit instructions and discuss personal health questions, medicines or supplements with a qualified healthcare professional.