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All CollectionsLab Test InstructionsQuicksilver
Mercury Tri-Test
Mercury Tri-Test
Updated over 8 months ago

Test Details

Lab Company: Quicksilver Scientific
​Sample Type: Urine, Hair, Blood
​Collection Location: At Home and In Lab (Phlebotomy Required)

The Quicksilver Mercury Tri-Test® assesses mercury exposure and the body’s mercury burden.

Key Details

  • 🧪 You must collect your urine and hair samples before your blood draw.

  • ⏰ Collect your blood and urine samples within 48 hours of each other.

  • 🩸 DO NOT collect your urine samples while menstruating.

  • 💇‍♀️ DO NOT send a hair sample that has been treated with a perm.

  • 🏥 Blood sample collection must be performed by a phlebotomist, Monday - Wednesday only.

  • 💰 You may need to pay a separate fee for phlebotomy.

  • ❌ You must avoid certain foods and medications before your blood draw.

  • 🚚 Ship your samples Monday - Wednesday only.

Preparation & Timing

  • Blood sample collection must be performed by a phlebotomist.

    • Resources for scheduling and preparing for your blood draw can be found HERE.

  • Collect your urine and hair samples before your blood sample.

    • Collect your blood and urine samples within 48 hours of each other.

  • Avoid chelating agents for 7 days before sample collection. Examples:

    • EDTA

    • ALA

    • Glutathione

  • Avoid the following foods for 72 hours before sample collection.

    • Seafood

    • Fish products

    • You may continue to take fish oils.

  • You DO NOT need to fast before your blood draw.

  • DO NOT collect your urine samples while menstruating.

  • DO NOT send a hair sample that has been treated with a perm.

    • Other hair treatments, including hair dye, are okay.

Collection Instructions

Urine Collection

  1. Collect a mid-stream sample from your first morning urination in the provided collection cup.

  2. Pour urine from the cup into the provided test tube.

    1. Fill until the urine is between lines 9 and 11 on the tube.

    2. DO NOT fill the tube to the top.

  3. Tightly cap the test tube.

  4. Write the following information on a label.

    1. Patient's full name

    2. Patient's date of birth

    3. Collection date

  5. Affix the label to the test tube.

  6. Wrap the test tube in the absorbent cloth.

  7. Place the wrapped test tube into the biohazard zip-top bag.

  8. Place the zip-top bag back into the test kit box.

Hair Collection

  1. Write the following information on a label.

    1. Patient's full name

    2. Patient's date of birth

    3. Collection date

  2. Affix the label to the bag.

  3. Pinch a section of hair at the base of the back of your head.

    1. The section of hair should be about 1/2-inch wide when flattened (about 100-200 strands of hair).

    2. If you do not have enough scalp hair or you have a perm, you can use pubic or body hair instead.

  4. Cut the hair as close to the scalp as possible.

  5. Trim the hair sample to only keep the 1 inch closest to your skin.

    1. Your sample should be about 1 inch long and 1/2 inch wide when laid flat.

    2. Double the width if your hair is too short (ie: 1-inch wide sample, about 300-400 strands of hair)

  6. Place the hair sample into the collection bag.

  7. Seal the bag tightly.

  8. Place the hair collection bag back into the test kit box.

Blood Collection

  1. Read this article to prepare for your blood draw.

  2. Schedule your blood draw appointment for Monday - Wednesday only.

  3. Complete the test requisition form.

    📄 How to Complete Your Requisition

  4. Bring the following items with you to your blood draw appointment.

    1. Test kit

    2. Urine sample

    3. Hair sample

    4. Completed test requisition form

  5. The phlebotomist will collect, prepare, and ship your samples for you.

    1. You only need to collect 1 tube of blood for this test.

    🩸 View Phlebotomist Instructions

Requisition & Payment

  • Your kit has been prepaid. You may need to pay a separate fee for phlebotomy.

  • You must complete your requisition form and send it back with your samples.

    • Since you pre-paid for your tests, you do not need to fill in the payment information on this form.

How to Complete Your Requisition

Shipping

  • Bring your urine and hair samples with you to your blood draw appointment.

  • Make a note of the tracking number on the return mailer so that you can track your samples back to the lab.

  • The phlebotomist will ship your samples for you using the materials provided in the test kit.

  • Samples should be shipped Monday - Wednesday only.

Results

  • Results should be released to your provider about 3 weeks after samples are received at the lab. Rupa Health cannot guarantee processing time.

More Resources

Questions?

Reach out to Rupa Health via the chat in your patient portal.

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