Laboratory Services

If a longer detection window is required than is possible with oral fluid testing, urine testing is the next method to be considered.

The Matrix Diagnostics Ltd Laboratory has validated methods that are accredited by UKAS to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 (accreditation number: 8771) and can carry out a number of different tests on urine samples producing a result by the next day. The testing procedure involves the use of both immunoassay screening and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry (LCMSMS) confirmation testing.

The confirmations from these tests are legally defensible and we can supply test kits that have full ‘chain of custody’. The kits are simple to use and we provide full training.

Oral fluid testing is a user-friendly way of obtaining a sample because it is non-invasive. It is therefore easier for the person being tested and for the person administering the test.

The testing of oral fluid can detect most substances up to 48-hours after ingestion.

The Intercept i2he device is our preferred method of sample collection. It is designed specifically to work in tandem with our in-house laboratory systems and it has been proven to provide more accurate results than any comparable device. A blue indicator informs the collector when the required amount of fluid has been obtained for analysis. The device is simple to use, quick and a very efficient method of sampling. The mouth swab does not contain any animal derived constituents.

Hair testing is ideal when a longer period of detection is required. This type of testing is widely used in the legal sector.

The benefits of opting for hair testing include the fact that a substance will remain detectable in a sample for a considerable time after the hair has been removed from the head. This fact makes a historical case of drug use easier to establish. In addition, as the collection is non-invasive it is difficult to adulterate a sample.

Matrix Diagnostics laboratory provides clients with a service to test for a wide range of substances detectable in hair samples. Our rapid turn-around service tests for the following drugs: Amphetamine, Benzodiazepines, Cannabis (THC), Cocaine, Mephedrone, Methadone, Methamphetamine (including MDMA & MDEA), Opiates and Tramadol.

Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE) are used to detect alcohol abuse/prove abstinence. We also provide testing for a wide panel of NPS (new psychoactive substances) and a full hair steroids panel.

Customers, can if they wish, use our collectors to obtain samples. We can alternatively supply the necessary kits to facilitate the rapid dispatch to our laboratory, immediately following the collection.