Environmental Health Division home page

WSLH Toxicology: Filter Paper Blood Lead Proficiency Testing Program

The nationwide Filter Paper Blood Lead Proficiency Testing Program (FP) is administered by the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene and supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The FP program has a bimonthly format providing participants five filter paper blood lead specimens for regulatory events and three filter paper blood lead specimens for non-regulatory events.

Specimens are prepared with blood collected from occupationally exposed workers and spotted on filter paper sheets in a trace metal clean room. The sheets are allowed to air dry before being returned to zip-lock bags for storage at room temperature. Specimen target values are set by a group of referee laboratories that are provided aliquots of liquid blood which they analyze using their routine procedure. Participant results are considered acceptable if they fall within ± 10% of the target value for specimens exceeding 40 µg/dL, or ± 4 µg/dL for specimens whose target values are less than 40 µg/dL.

Participants in the program are mailed an evaluation report and a statistical summary for each event. In addition, participants are mailed individual reports of their current and cumulative regulatory event performance for each regulatory event.

Shipping Dates:

Filter paper blood lead proficiency testing specimens are normally sent on the second Monday of an event month via the United States Postal Service with results due two weeks later. Contact us at 608-224-6252 if specimens have not been received by the third Monday of an event month.

Report Forms:

A report form is included with each testing event. Please be sure to include your SL number and test method code with your results and FAX the completed form to (608) 265-1111.