How are samples collected?
Testing can be done by a buccal cheek swab or by a blood draw. The buccal swab sample is collected by gently massaging the inside of the persons mouth. This procedure is non-invasive and painless and can even be performed on newborns. Blood can also be used for testing if desired. Blood can be drawn in our offices, or in any one of our nationwide network of laboratory draw sites. Unique specimens can be also used if circumstances warrant. This includes prenatal samples, or samples from a deceased individual, such as hair, teeth or other tissues. All testing including all information and all results are kept strictly confidential. Results are provided only to those adult persons who were tested and have requested the results, or to other individuals authorized by the tested parties to receive the results, such as lawyers. You determine how results are delivered including by standard mail, fax or overnight delivery for an additional fee. Personal information and results are never release
Method 8 uses a manual sampling train similar to the one described in EPA Method 5 to collect particulate matter samples. The principle difference is that the filter in Method 8 is not between the probe and first impinger but between the first and second impingers. In addition, there is no requirement to heat the filter. The Method 8 sample train begins with a glass probe to transfer the sample from the stack to the first impinger. The first impinger contains an 80% solution of isopropyl alcohol in water. This impinger is followed by a glass fiber filter. The filter is followed by two impingers each containing a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide in water, and empty impinger, and an impinger containing silica gel. The impingers are followed by a combination pump and meter box system to pull sample from the stack at a controlled rate and measure the volume. The stack is divided into a predetermined number of equal areas. The sample is collected from the centroid of each of these areas for
