Selenium, Urine (Occupational)

Diagnostic Use

Soluble selenium compounds are readily absorbed through the lungs and from the gut. They are methylated in the liver to trimethylselenonium ion and rapidly excreted in the urine.
Selenium is used to supplement livestock feed and in some fertilisers. It is also used in the electrical and electronics industry, semiconductors, glass production, and the paint industry. The cosmetic industry uses selenium in antidandruff shampoos.

Department

Lipids/Trace Metals

Delphic Registration Code

USE

Laboratory Handling

Phlebotomy

Recommended sampling time is POST SHIFT - the last 2 hours to immediately following the end of the working day.

Registration

Send to separating if ambient on arrival. Send to trace metals if frozen on arrival.

Separating

Aliquot to Core laboratory for UCRN

Turnaround Time

2 weeks

Test Code

4284

Specimen Type

• Urine

Specimen Requirements

Tube/Container Type:

Preferred

• BD Urine Tube (no additive)

Acceptable

• Pottle

Preferred Sample Volume (ml)

6

Minimum Sample Volume (ml)

2

No of Samples Required

1

Aliquot Instructions

Sample Type

• Urine

Minimum Volume (ml)

5

Transport to Lab

Ambient (8 - 24 degrees Celsius)
Chilled (2 - 8 degrees Celsius)

Additional Referral/Aliquot Information

The urine pottle used for specimen collection must be shown to be free of Selenium contamination.
Courier to lab ambient or chilled.

Interpretation

No Biological Exposure Index is given for urine selenium, however urine selenium levels may be used to confirm absorption but the relationship to exposure has not been established.

To ensure adequate assessment of exposure to selenium, urine samples must be collected at the end of the working shift. Urinary concentrations rise dramatically with a sudden increase in ingestion of selenium and can be used to differentiate between acute and chronic exposure.

Reports issued by Canterbury Health laboratories will have results along with current Normal population Reference Intervals (RI).
For interpretation against Biological exposure indexes (BEI) please refer to the latest Worksafe’s : Biological Exposure Index (BEI) review.

See link in “Additional Information” tab below for Workplace Exposure Standards on the Worksafe.govt.nz website

Reference Intervals

Non exposed levels 0-0.9 umol/L

Se/Creatinine ratio 0.0-0.1 umol/mmol

To convert urine selenium umol/L to ug/L multiply by 79.

 

Test Method

ICP-MS

Non-Funded Test Cost

$42.34 (Exclusive of GST)

Billing Code

4284

Resources

• Workplace Exposure Standards

Contact Information

Enquiry Form

Contact Information

Enquiry Form