A number of employers have started to implement random EtG urine alcohol tests as part of their drug and alcohol screening and testing policy.
An important point to keep in mind is that urine alcohol tests with EtG provide a reliable and an accurate indication of alcohol consumption during the previous 80-hour window.
Urine Alcohol Testing With Ethyl Glucuronide (EtG)
Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) is a direct metabolite of ethanol alcohol. The presence of EtG in the urine can be used to detect recent alcohol consumption, even after the ethanol alcohol is no longer measurable.
Consequently, the presence of EtG in the urine is a definitive indicator that alcohol has been ingested.
Traditional laboratory practices typically measure the amount of alcohol present in the body. Depending on the amount of alcohol that has been consumed, this method usually reveals alcohol ingestion within the past few hours.
The presence of EtG in the urine, on the other hand, demonstrates that ethanol alcohol was ingested within the past three or four days, or roughly 80 hours after the ethanol alcohol has been metabolized by the body.
As a result, it can be determined that a urine alcohol test employing EtG is a more accurate indicator of the recent consumption of alcohol as opposed to simply measuring for the existence of ethanol alcohol.
The Accuracy and Reliability of the EtG Urine Alcohol Test
Some labs use the most advanced, accurate, and precise equipment and technology that is available (such as LC/MS/MS) to sift through, validate, and quantify the presence of EtG. Under these stringent parameters, the EtG urine alcohol test provides highly accurate results.
Key Benefits of Using EtG Tests
The key benefits of using EtG urine tests include the following:
- EtG tests detect recent usage more accurately and for a longer time period compared with standard testing
- EtG testing is a great match for abstinence and zero tolerance circumstance
- EtG tests provide an accurate and reliable indication of alcohol ingestion within the previous 80 hours
- EtG is only detectable when alcohol is ingested and is not produced as a result of alcohol fermentation
- EtG testing facilitates monitoring in alcohol treatment programs
- EtG test function as an early warning system that can identify relapse patterns
- EtG tests can be accurate and reliable when performed by LC/MS/MS on state of the art equipment
- Some labs can provide thirty-six hour turnaround time from receipt of the urine specimens
- EtG tests can be run on urine specimens in conjunction with other drug testing methods
- Top-rate labs can provide results via fax, the U.S. mail, and via the Internet
How Much Do EtG Urine Alcohol Tests Cost?
EtG Urine Alcohol Tests cost approximately $25.00 per urine specimen, even when tested on state-of-the-art equipment. Given the cost of this type of alcohol testing, accurate and reliable results are possible at a price that most organizations can afford.
Urine Alcohol Test EtG: Conclusion
As long as employers lose considerable amounts of money and “person-hours” to alcohol abuse, they will continue to employ random alcohol tests. As a consequence, a number of organizations and companies have implemented random EtG urine alcohol tests as part of their alcohol and drug screening protocol.
Urine alcohol tests with EtG are not only accurate and reliable, but they also provide many screening benefits.
When their relatively inexpensive cost is added to the equation, moreover, EtG urine alcohol tests become a reasonable and cost-effective methodology for employee alcohol screening and testing.
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My guess is that in the near future, urine alcohol testing will become even more powerful and more sophisticated than the alcohol detection 80-hour window that’s currently available with EtG urine alcohol tests. Just imagine if a urine alcohol test is developed that can reveal if an individual has had ANY amount of alcohol within the past several weeks? The point is that in the near future, drug and alcohol tests are going to be even more accurate and more refined. And no matter how accessible or available alcohol is in our society, we, as responsible adults, need to drink in moderation at all times or quit drinking altogether.
I realize that drug and alcohol testing methods are becoming more sophisticated all the time, but the EtG urine alcohol test must be one of the most feared alcohol tests by problem drinkers who have been ordered to abstain from drinking. With the ability to detect whether a person has had an alcoholic beverage within an 80-hour window, this pretty much means that a random alcohol test any day of the week can produce valid results that can potentially lead to jail time for the drinker.
Ever since I heard about the Etg urine alcohol test, I make sure I don’t even mess around with one drink. If I fail a random alcohol test at work, I will go to jail.