EtG Urine

EtG Urine Testing

Who should choose laboratory based EtG urine testing?

Laboratory based EtG urine testing is usually performed when evidence of alcohol consumption in the past 48 to 72 hours is needed. This test is commonly used in court cases to either prove alcohol use or to ensure abstinence from alcohol.

What is the advantage of EtG urine testing with a laboratory versus with an instant test?

EtG testing with a laboratory provides many advantages over instant testing options:

  • Laboratory tests require a chain of custody which allows the results to be used in legal proceedings.
  • Positive test results are tested again for confirmation. This process significantly reduces the chances of false positives.
  • A positive laboratory result will show a quantitative value. This value can be compared to previous or subsequent tests to determine if alcohol consumption is increasing, decreasing, or remaining the same.
  • EtG can be tested for independently or with other drug panels allowing for a wider range of flexibility when there are additional drugs of concern.
How long can EtG be detected with a laboratory-based urine test?

After even just a few drinks, EtG may be detectable for up to 48 hours. If there is heavy drinking, EtG may be detected 72 hours or longer after consumption.

How is laboratory based EtG urine testing performed?

Laboratory based EtG urine testing is performed just like any other urine test. The donor will be given a urine collection cup and asked to provide a sample in a secure restroom or restroom stall while the collector waits just outside.

If the test is observed, a trained observer of the same gender as the donor will follow the donor into the restroom or restroom stall to ensure that the donor does not tamper with or substitute their sample.

Once the sample is collected, it is packaged and sent to the laboratory for testing.

Schedule An Appointment

Frequently Asked Questions

If your question isn't addressed, or you just want to talk to a live person, give us a call at 1 (636) 916-0050.

It depends. Appointments are suggested to ensure that your wait time is limited but are only required if the collection is to be observed. If the collection does not need to be observed, appointments are suggested, but not required.

Urine tests typically take 10 to 15 minutes.

Results are usually available in 2 to 5 business days.

No.

There is no need to drink more water than you normally would.

Yes. The collector or observer will explain the process to you and allow you to ask any questions before the observed collection begins.

The specifics about observed collections can be viewed here so that you know what to expect.

No. However, you may consider an instant test option if you would prefer to collect the sample yourself.

Not really. EtG is produced in the liver when ethanol alcohol is consumed. This process allows the alcohol to be removed from the body, and one way the body does this is through a person's urine. The amount of EtG that is produced and detected in urine depends on, among other factors, the health of the person's liver, the time since the person last consumed alcohol, and the quantity of alcohol that was consumed.

Because everyone produces EtG at different rates, it's not possible to use an EtG quantitative result to determine how much alcohol was consumed.

While not completely impossible, if the products are used as directed, it is highly unlikely. The test is designed to exclude small trace amounts of alcohol in specimens making it unlikely that a positive result is due to using mouthwash or alcohol-based hand sanitizers.