Agreed- I've known people to send off samples for GCMS and have a pretty good idea then of what they've got in their hands. It costs money, but if you're worried about safety it is possible.
(GCMS doesn't actually cost much to run, places just charge a lot for it.)
I'm not aware of cheaper assays that may have been developed. So, yeah, it'd likely require buying a GC-MS (>$50,000), plus a gas source, whatever MS software, and some training.
Alternatively, for ~$50 there are many core facilities at universities and elsewhere that'll happily run whatever sample you send them and email you back the results.
I used to work at a drug testing facility. Our typical test urine and saliva took 3 major steps.
1) Negative Screening (6hrs) - Figuring out what compounds show up initially. Special dyes were use to identify potential compounds. Not conclusive but narrows down the next steps
2) Extraction (10 - 18 hrs) - Separate the target compounds from the rest of compounds/proteins in the sample fluid.
3) Postive Certification via GCMS (2hrs - 16hrs) - The extracted compounds were ionized (broken into predictable pieces) then sent through the GCMS to where a signal signature determined.
Each step included equipment expensive materials and equipment. The last step is was the most expensive and error prone. The GCMS machines need maintenance and calibration. They cost anywhere from $30,000 to $70,000.
Sometimes we lost samples because the machine would lose it's calibration and wouldn't be enough to start another set. We took in samples on a national scale, but I can see how a smaller non-commercial lab accumulate a large backlog.
This was like 10 years ago but I don't see the technology changing that much.
Looks like there are kits in the 60-100$ range, a local college chemistry lab might also be able to do it, there may also be a simple test you can apply - sounds like much more effort than what you put in acquiring, might be worthwhile to just cut it at a loss if you think it is a risk at all
It's not a bad idea, but instead of mailing samples across the Atlantic Ocean, I'd rather visit my doctor 2-3 times per year and let him take blood samples. If I wanted to spend more, I could get one to visit me at home.
I was actually looking at buying lab equipment for myself for extra flexibility, but lost interest. It's an interesting and underdeveloped market niche for all the self-tracking people though.
yospermtest.com sells an at home test that is basically a magnifying lens and collection tray that attaches to your phone, and an app to analyze the sample.
edit: Yes, the referral thing is absurd. People answering the phones at medical offices when I've called trying to give them money will act confused or even offended if you ask how much things cost. Thankfully there are some new businesses like this chipping away at the edges.
I would use a service to test food, supplements and prescription drugs (especially generics). I'd be interested in quantity of active ingredients, as well as any contaminants.
My pleasure! Yeah I don't want to assume the people of that town could afford a few thousand dollars for the more advanced lab tests. It is not uncommon these days for people to do a GoFundMe for even lesser expensive things. I am in no way implying the people there are poor.
If I were there I would grab the samples myself. It's super easy, barely an inconvenience.
Wow, very cool idea. While obviously this wouldn't be a substitute for lab grade testing, what makes me excited is that it could make sense as something folks produce for themselves as a precursor to getting a proper test done.
Think of a study that needs 3 lab test per day for each of the participants. These tests aren't cheap and a multi-year study with a couple of hundred participants with shipping costs (overnight) for the samples. It does ring up quite a bill.
One can also take water and soil samples. There are numerous labs that the samples can be sent to. They can test for hundreds of carcinogens, pesticides, heavy metals, various deadly strains of bacteria and much more. Testing is generally between $80 and $400 depending on what you ask them to test for.
I've done multiple 'free' tests that they try to bill through insurance and haven't had any issues.
Whether the tests are yet accurate and useful I love the ease and hope they can develop a more in depth service.
How would the end buyer know if the tests were genuine? The vendors could easily be paying for good results since there’s zero transparency or ability to check.
It's cheap. And to get a test or four into the hands of (almost) anyone who wants one without red tape seems like a pretty good strategy at the moment even if it's probably not as useful as some people think.
I'm a big fan of what DanceSafe has been doing, although their reagent test kits are extremely expensive considering how cheap they are to manufacture. Their Marquis reagent costs $20 plus shipping and consists of 2 drops of formaldehyde in 3ml of sulfuric acid. Tremendous margins for a group that should want everyone and their grandma to have a testing kit.
(GCMS doesn't actually cost much to run, places just charge a lot for it.)
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