Hair Alcohol Testing
Overview
Alcohol has recently been classified as the fifth most harmful drug. For the first time ever, there is a non-invasive service to detect excessive consumption of alcohol over a period of time. Unlike traditional methods, alcohol testing in hair can establish dependency for periods of up to a year. As the first company to offer this test commercially, Trimega Laboratories, together with its team of researchers and scientists, has developed a system that clearly indicates or rules out alcohol abuse.
For the complete picture of alcohol abuse
Select Trimega's Gold Standard test (FAEE & EtG) for longer windows of detection.

| Hair alcohol testing vs. Traditional methods | ||
|---|---|---|
| Hair Alcohol Testing | Traditional Methods | |
| Window of detection | Up to 12 months | < 4 weeks |
| Regularity | One-off testing | Regular testing (costly) |
| Results | False positives are eliminated | Risk of false positives |
| Re-testing | Possible | Not possible due to short window of detection |
| Collection | Non-invasive | Invasive |
| Samples and storage | Tamper proof | Risk of tampering |
Trimega standards of Hair Alcohol Testing
Hair Alcohol Testing Gold (FAEE & EtG)
Trimega Laboratories' hair alcohol testing gold standard is achieved by combining both FAEE and EtG testing into one test. This combination assists in mutual confirmation and exclusion of false positive or false negative results; significantly increasing the accuracy of interpretation. The results is that although contextual information always assists final interpretation, less context is required due to the heightened ability in the achievement of a more definitive result. With a growing database of alcohol testing results in child protection cases, Trimega Laboratories is the only company in the world that can measure both EtG and FAEE.
Hair Alcohol Testing Silver (FAEE*)
Trimega Laboratories' FAEE (fatty acid ethyl ester) hair alcohol test is award-winning* and is now clearly distinguishable as the market leader in alcohol dependency analysis. Trimega Laboratories have the world's largest commercial database available of donor alcohol self-reporting information versus results and can now determine if a donor falls into abstinence/moderate or excessive range of alcohol consumption.
* Winner of the UK Best Use of Technology Award 2008
Hair Alcohol Testing Bronze (EtG)
EtG (ethyl glucuronide) testing is one of the latest hair alcohol tests available, which is provided as a lower cost solution for determination of alcohol abuse. One is able to segment into monthly sections and obtain a pattern of abuse but must also take into consideration medical and other contextual information, including blood alcohol test results.
The process: How alcohol is detected
As the hair grows, it absorbs special markers called fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) and ethyl glucuronide (EtG) into its structure, which remain in the hair indefinitely. These patented markers are only produced when there is alcohol in the bloodstream, and the more markers there are, the more alcohol has been consumed.
What makes this analysis revolutionary is that it gives a history going back months or even years if required. No other method can do this. For example, testing for EtG alone only provides results covering a period no longer than one month. Once history of alcohol abuse is established using Trimega's latest technique, an alcoholic's treatment can then be monitored periodically.
Who can use this service?
Legal Sector
Hair alcohol tests have been regularly used by the UK legal sector for legal disputes and child care proceeding cases. Prove that a client is fit to have custody of their children. The admissibility of the tests is dependent upon strict sample collection protocols administered by Trimega Laboratories' trained nurses and sample collectors.
Corporate Sector
The need to use hair alcohol testing within the corporate sector (maritime, insurance, medical and rail sectors) has increased since its introduction by Trimega Laboratories. Increasingly, corporates believe there is a need to regulate their own industry by monitoring employees and ensuring that professionalism within their industry is maintained.
Forensics
For forensic use, forensic investigators may use this test to determine whether a driver in a road accident was in the habit of overindulging in alcohol. Trimega Laboratories provide expert witnesses if required.
Why Trimega?
- Cost effective: Competitive pricing policy
- Meeting deadlines: Results available within 7-10 business days from receipt of sample
- Simple fast instruction process
- Hassle-free service: Fully co-ordinated sample collection service
- FREE sample collection materials
- Split-invoicing if requested
- Certified to ISO 9001:2000 Quality management systems by Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance who are a UKAS-accredited certification body.
- Multiple award winning company


Winners of the LALY Awards 2008