Alcohol Testing

Breath alcohol testing

The person being tested for alcohol use blows into a breath alcohol device, and the results are given as a digital readout. The readout is a number, known as the breath alcohol concentration (BAC), which shows the level of alcohol in the breath at the time the test was taken. It does not measure historical use of alcohol. AlphaBiolabs can provide a number of devices for breath alcohol testing dependent on your individual needs.

For more information or to get a quote, please call 0333 600 1300 or email info@alphabiolabs.com

Blood alcohol testing

We recommend a blood test to detect alcohol biomarkers in conjunction with clinical assessment to gain a greater insight into an individual’s alcohol use.

Blood alcohol tests are made up of a liver function test (LFT), a carbohydrate deficient transferrin (CDT) test, a mean corpuscular volume (MCV) test and phosphatidylethanol (PEth) testing. LFT looks at the functionality of the liver, the same way a medical professional would. CDT test gives a 4-week window of detection period and is a very good indicator if someone is drinking alcohol to chronic and excessive levels. An elevated MCV marker is an indicator of ingested alcohol. PEth is a direct marker of alcohol and is therefore the most accurate of the blood tests to determine alcohol abuse.

For more information or to get a quote, please call 0333 600 1300 or email info@alphabiolabs.com

Hair alcohol testing

Alcohol abuse can be detected in head hair by testing for two different alcohol metabolites. The first metabolite is ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and the second metabolite is a fatty acid ethyl ester (FAEE); ethyl palmitate (EtPa). These metabolites can both be found and extracted from the hair.

By performing both hair alcohol tests the evidence is strengthened to determine whether alcohol has been chronically abused. Some types of body hair can also be analysed for EtG.

For more information or to get a quote, please call 0333 600 1300 or email info@alphabiolabs.com

Nail alcohol testing

Our nail alcohol testing analyses samples for a specific long-term marker of ethanol called ethyl glucuronide (EtG). These EtG biomarkers become trapped within the keratin fibres along the length of the nail. Analysing nail clippings for alcohol use can give an overview of up to 12 months.

For more information or to get a quote, please call 0333 600 1300 or email info@alphabiolabs.com

SCRAM Continuous Alcohol Monitoring®

SCRAM Continuous Alcohol Monitoring® (SCRAM CAM®) is an innovative way of testing a participant’s alcohol consumption over a defined period of time. The tamper-proof SCRAM CAM® bracelet is worn on the ankle for between 1 and 120 days.

Because of its transdermal method of detection (through the skin) every 30 minutes, 24 hours a day, the non invasive bracelet provides a comprehensive profile of a participant’s drinking activities throughout the entire day and night.

For more information or to get a quote, please call 0333 600 1300 or email info@alphabiolabs.com