|
Sample or specimen
|
Amount
|
Comments
|
|
Antemortem
|
|
Blood
|
5-10 ml
|
Useful for detecting exposure to most metals, trace elements, cholinesterase, pesticides and ethylene glycol and also for evaluating erythrocyte and leucocyte morphology
|
|
Serum
|
5-10 ml
|
Useful for evaluation of electrolytes, urea nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen and organ function; exposure to metals, drugs and vitamins. Serum should be removed from clotted blood, taking care to avoid hemolysis
|
|
Urine
|
50 ml
|
Useful for detecting exposure to alkaloids, metals, electrolytes, antibiotics, drugs, sulphonamides and oxalates
|
|
Faeces
|
250 g
|
Useful for detecting recent oral exposures or drugs or toxicants excreted primarily in bile
|
|
Vomitus
|
250 g
|
Useful for detecting ingested poisons of all types, especially those that cannot be measured in tissue ( e.g. organophosphorous compounds, ionophores)
|
|
Hair
|
5-10 g
|
Useful for detecting dermal exposure to pesticides, chronic accumulation of some metals like arsenic, selenium.
|
|
Postmortem
|
|
Liver
|
100 g
|
Major oragn of biotransformation. Accumulates metals, pesticides, alkaloids, phenols and some mycotoxins. Bile may be usesul for detecting toxicants concentrated by bile like lead. Usually frozen till analysis
|
|
Kidney
|
100 g
|
Major organ of excretion for antibiotics and other drugs, metabolized toxicants, alkaloids, herbicides, some metals, phenolic compounds and oxalates
|
|
Stomach contents
|
500 g
|
Confirmation of recent oral exposure of toxicant
|
|
Rumen contents
|
500 g
|
Confirmation of recent oral toxicant exposure. Rumen may degrade some toxicants like nitrates and mycotoxins. Quantitative analysis is difficult as a result of variability of concentrations and lack of correlation with toxic levels in the tissues. Samples should be collected from several locations in the rumen and kept frozen till analysis.
|
|
Fat
|
250 g
|
Useful for detection of cumulative fat-soluble toxicants like chlorinated pesticides and dioxins
|
|
Ocular fluids
|
Entire eye
|
Useful for evaluating electrolytes like sodium, calcium, potassium and magnesium, ammonia nitrogen, nitrates and urea nitrogen. Ocular potassium and urea have been used to estimate time since death. Both aqueous and vitreous humor are useful, but should be collected separately
|
|
Brain
|
Entire brain
|
Useful for detecting some neurotoxins like chlorinated pesticides, pyrethrins, sodium, mercury. Brain should be separated by midline sagittal section and the caudate nucleus collected for cholinesterase determination. Half of the brain should be frozen and half fixed in 10% buffered formalin
|
|
Environmental
|
|
Feeds
|
2 kg
|
Multiple representative samples should be taken and then either combined and mixed for a composite sample or retained as individual samples to detect variability in the source or both
|
|
Forages (e.g. pasture, hay,silage)
|
5 kg
|
Samples should be taken from multiple locations in a pasture or storage facility using a forage sampler for baled hay or stacks. Silage should be frozen to prevent mold and deterioration
|
|
Baits
|
All
|
Entire suspected bait and label should be submitted if available
|
|
Water
|
0.5 – 1 L
|
Useful for detection of nitrates, sulphates, total solids, metals, algae and pesticides. Water should be allowed to run to clear pipes before collecting from well or storage tank. Bodies of water from the probable site of exposure should be sampled. Water should be kept refrigerated until analysis.
|
|
Soil /mud/
sediment
|
1 kg
|
Soil should be collected from root zone depth if plant contamination is suspected. Sampling from multiple sites may be appropriate. A soil scientist or agronomist may be contacted, if possible.
|
Participants