24-72 hours after setup at PeaceHealth Laboratories’ reference lab.
CPT Code:
82525-90
Specimen Collection Details
Collection:
One 6 mL royal blue top trace element serum tube (no additives). Also acceptable: One 6 mL royal blue top tube (EDTA) K2.
Handling:
Allow to clot, centrifuge and separate serum from cells and immediately pour into either an ARUP Trace Element-Free transport tube, available from Client Services, or a royal blue trace element-no additive tube. Do not allow serum to remain on cells. Refrigerate.
Stability:
If the specimen is drawn and stored in the appropriate container, the trace element values do not change with time.
Standard Volume:
2 mL serum or plasma.
Minimum Volume:
0.5 mL serum or plasma.
Transport:
Refrigerated.
Rejection Criteria:
Use of any tube other than specified; specimen not clotted or separated from cells; hemolysis.
Reference Range:
Age
Male
Female
0 – 6 months
20-70 µg/dL
20-70 µg/dL
7 months – 18 years
90-190 µg/dL
90-190 µg/dL
19 years and older
70-140 µg/dL
80-155 µg/dL
Serum/plasma copper may be elevated with infection, inflammation, stress, copper supplementation, oral contraceptives, and pregnancy. Concentrations are 2-3 times normal in the third trimester of pregnancy. Copper may be lowered with corticosteroids, zinc, malnutrition, and malabsorption.