Alcohol Abstinence Programs; An Overview of the Latest Testing Technology

For most, passing an alcohol screening test, has been relatively simple. When considering alcohol's short half-life, the detection of alcohol, in a urine sample, was difficult to prove by laboratory testing centers especially when considering fermentation, age and other health indications which can proof a false positive result. With modern technology, however, the alcohol screening test has become more sensitive in what is known as the ethyl glucuronide, or EtG, test. With development of this alcohol screening program, employers, law enforcement officials as well as physicians are now able to more easily detect alcohol consumption.

The latest in alcohol screening involved the screening of ethyl glucuronide, also known as EtG. Found in the body, as a metabolite of alcohol consumption, EtG testing is impossible to pass until 80 hours beyond the last consumption of alcohol. For those individuals in an alcohol abstinence program, EtG testing is the latest in alcohol testing and, for many, is unknown.

Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) is formed, in the liver, by combining alcohol with the liver's natural glucuronic acid. When combined, ethyl glucuronide (EtG) is created. Detected in the blood screen for 36 hours, EtG can be detected in the urine for up to 80 hours following consumption. In rare case, detection into 5 days has been known in very heavy alcohol consumption.

What is important to understand, for those in an alcohol restricted program, is the ability of a laboratory department to detect ethyl glucuronide even with urine samples as old as four days kept at room temperature. For this reason, swapping out a urine sample with an aged sample is not prudent in passing this EtG screening.

Technically speaking, the EtG alcohol screening test is done in a highly sophisticated laboratory using LC/MS/MS, also known as liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry. In this method, the EtG is isolated and quantified. For most law enforcement programs, EtG screening cut off levels are recommended at 100 ng/mL which is the most sensitive of screening.

When studying the accuracy of EtG screening, long term, heavy alcohol drinkers, in abstinence, were screened. Even for those with long term exposure, not presently consuming, exhibit no EtG in their urine. As a result, this study has proven EtG screening is accurate in detecting recent consumption regardless of the individuals prior drinking history.

Laboratories offering EtG testing provide results within a relatively small number of days with an average cost of $25 per test. While considered costly in terms of law enforcement management, it is effective as part of a random drug screening program. Because of this, most law enforcement programs are now incorporating EtG testing, at least once, into each individuals random urinalysis (UA) screenings.

With no absolute method to pass an EtG test, other than abstinence, the only recommendation that can be made, is to avoid alcohol within 7 days prior to the anticipation of a urinalysis test.