FLOW CHART AND ALGORITHM FOR BLOOD SPECIMEN PROCESSING IN
THE OMAN SURVEY
Women and Children
NOTE: Immediately
after drawing blood,
label and date the
vacutainers for the
subject.
Goal = 7.0 mL venous
blood collection
First, collect 1.5
mL in purple top
vacutainer tube
Remove 0.1 mL
to measure Hb
on the spot
using HemoCue
Record Hb result and
put tube in Ziploc bag
in the COOL BOX.
Next, collect 5.5 mL in
red top vacutainer tube
Store red top tubes in
COOL BOX
At the end of each day,
transfer red top tubes to
local processing lab to
be centrifuged
*NOTE: for a subCentrifuge at processing
lab*
sample from Muscat
after Hb reading:
1. Keep purple top
Pipette
Pipette
Pipette
tubes in COOL
1.0
mL
1.0
mL
1.0 mL
BOX.
serum
serum
serum
2. Take to
into a
into a
into a
Department of
2.0-mL
2.0-mL
2.0-mL
Laboratories at the
labele
labele
labele
end of the day for
d
d
d
testing.
cryovi
cryovi
cryovi
3. Zinc
al tube
al tube
al tube
protoporphyrin
&
&
&
testing at lab.
freeze
freeze
Ship to:
Royal freeze Ship
to: Dept
Hospital for
of Labs – MoH
Ferritin and CRP
to store as an
testing
extra vial
Label: DRY ICE
Label: DRY
ICE
Ship to: Dept of
Labs -MoH for Vit A
testing
*If the amount of serum is limited,
Label: DRY ICE
priority is for the serum ferritin
testing.
Men
NOTE: Immediately after
drawing blood, label and
date the purple top tube for
the subject.
Goal = 1.5 mL venous
blood collection
1.0ml
Collect 1.5 mL in purple top
vacutainer tube
Remove approx. 0.1 mL to
measure Hb on the spot using
HemoCue
Record Hb result and put tube
in Ziploc bag in COOL BOX.
*NOTE: for a sub-sample from
Muscat after Hb reading:
1. Keep purple top tubes
in COOL BOX
2. Take to DGHA at the end of
the day for testing.
For all shipments:

Before shipping to Muscat, the lab tech at the regional hospital will call the Study coordinator and the respective person at the lab to notify them to be ready to receive
samples. The study co-ordinator will follow up the next day and confirm the receipt of the
samples at the respective labs. (blind samples)

Address the boxes clearly with the name of lab, person receiving the shipment, and their
contact details. USE the pre-printed address labels.

Do not forget to include a shipping inventory list and to indicate sender’s details.
SURVEY ON MICRONUTRIENTS IN OMAN: SPECIMEN PROCESSING FLOW CHART
Field collection of samples
Processing at the HH
/PHCs/Hospital
Test to be done
Storage/Shipping
Lab Name
Requirements
Women and
Children
2-mL Purple Top
EDTA tube
(whole blood)
6-mL Red Top
tube
(clotted blood)
In HH,
Remove
Remove
0.1 mL
0.1 mL
1
2
Cold
packs
Cold
packs
In HH,
Store in
cool box
Ferritin and CRP
Vitamin A
Centrifuge and
pipette 1.0 mL serum into
labelled cryovials
Cold packs
Remove
0.1 mL
Men
Salt and flour samples
Extra serum
Iodine
Hemoglobin using
the HemoCue
Read and record the hemoglobin result on
the respective questionnaire.
Cold packs
Dry Ice/Freeze
Dry Ice/Freeze
Dry Ice/Freeze
Dry Ice/Freeze, if
possible
Dept. of Labs - MOH
Royal Hospital
Dept. of Labs - MOH
Dept. of Labs - MOH for
storage
Dept. of Labs - MOH
Read and record the hemoglobin result on
the respective questionnaire.
1
Cold
packs
Store in
cool box
Cold packs
Households
and Bakeries
Salt and flour samples
Zinc protoporphyrin in
selected Muscat clusters*
Cold
packs
Transfer to
cryovials
2-mL Purple Top
EDTA tube
(whole blood)
Cold packs
Store in
cool
box
Store
in cool
box
Urine
Cup for
Women
Hemoglobin using
the HemoCue
Store in container or bag
that is protected from light
and humidity
Zinc protoporphyrin in
selected Muscat
clusters*
Iodine in salt and
iron in flour
Cold packs
Cool place, free from
light and humidity
Dept. of Labs - MOH
Food Analysis Lab
Food Analysis Lab
*If not in selected Muscat clusters, store tube in Ziploc bag in cool box until the end of the day. Discard once all testing is complete.