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Frequently
Asked Questions
What
drug tests are available and what compounds do they
detect?
Array
technology sounds interesting, but my lab does not routinely
screen samples for 12 drugs. Can the MTA-12™ be
customized with fewer assays for my lab's specific
needs?
What
equipment is required to run the test?
What
materials are required but not supplied?
What
alternative matrices are supported?
Can I
run both blood and urine? Is any sample preparation required
prior to analysis?
Can
I run less than a full plate?
What
is the shelf life of the kit and how long can I use it if
the bottle has been opened?
How
should I store the kit?
What
drug tests are available and what compounds do they
detect?
Assays available from Venture Labs include: Amphetamine, Barbiturates, Benzodiazepines, Buprenorphine, Cannabinoids, Cocaine, Fentanyl, Ketamine, MDMA, Methadone, Methamphetamine, Opiates, Oxycodone, Phencyclidine, Propoxyphene, Tramadol, and Tricyclic Antidepressants. All assays are calibrated with the active/parent drug and are designed to detect both parent and metabolite drug forms. For assays such as Benzodiazepines and Barbiturates, the assays recognize a broad class of compounds. Please refer to the Specificity and Cross Reactivity sections for individual assays of interest to see a detailed list of what compounds are detected at various concentrations.
Array
technology sounds interesting, but my lab does not routinely
screen samples for 12 drugs. Can the MTA-12™ be
customized with fewer assays for my lab's specific
needs?
Yes, any combination of 4 or more of the following assays can be custom-configured into the array format to meet your labs specific needs: Amphetamine, Barbiturates, Benzodiazepines, Buprenorphine, Cannabinoids, Cocaine, Ketamine, MDMA, Methadone, Methamphetamine, Opiates, Oxycodone, Phencyclidine, Propoxyphene, Tramadol, and Tricyclic Antidepressants. Custom Multi-Test Arrays use the same procedure as the MTA-12™ kit.
What
equipment is required to run the test?
- The only required
equipment is a standard, 96-well microtiter plate reader.
No other specialized laboratory equipment is
necessary.
What materials are
required but not supplied with the kit?
- The following
materials are required but not supplied:
- Single channel
pipettes and tips for dispensing 30 uL and 75 uL
volume.
- Multichannel
pippettes and tips for dispensing 50 uL and 100 uL
volumes
- Graduated cyclinder
for measuring 450 mL
- Distilled
water
- Squirt bottle (500mL
or larger) for dispensing rinse solution
- Reagent
reservoir
- Clock or
timer
- Microplate washer
(optional)
- Absorbent
toweling
- Microtiter plate
reader
- Assay standards
- What
alternative matrices can be used in this
test?
- Sensitivity of the
MTA-12™ assay is suitable for forensic applications
of alternative specimens. Collection and/or extraction
methods of alternative specimens vary from lab to lab.
Therefore, each lab must validate the usability of the
different alternative specimens to be analyzed in the lab
with the MTA-12™ method. For more information,
please contact
Venture Labs technical support.
Can I run both blood and urine? Is
any sample preparation required prior to
analysis?
- Yes, Venture Labs
assays have performance characteristics suitable for
running both blood and urine samples. High sensitivity to
parent drug forms allows a lab to run blood samples neat;
i.e., without extraction. While the assays also detect
the metabolite drug forms present in urine specimens,
often the high sensitivity of Venture's assays exceeds
desired urine cut-off concentrations. Prior to analysis,
urine samples may be diluted with negative urine or
buffer to bring them into the desired concentration
ranges.
Can I run less than a full
plate?
- Yes. The strips can
be removed from their trays and broken apart to
accommodate your testing needs.
What is the kit's shelf life,
and how long can I use the kit after the bottles are
opened?
- Opened or closed, the
MTA-12™ drug test system kit is stable for 1 year
from date of manufacture under recommended storage
conditions. Please check the expiration date on the
lower-right-hand corner of the kit label. The expiration
date can also be found on the profile card that is
included in the kit.
How should I store the
kit?
- The liquid reagents
should be stored refrigerated at 2-8ºC. the
microtiter plates can be stored at room temperature in
the sealed foil pouch with the accompanying desiccant
pack. Once diluted, the rinse solution can also be stored
at room temperature.
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