American Medical Certification Association (AMCA) Phlebotomy Practice Exam

How should ammonia samples be transported?

1. At room temperature

2. With ice

3. In a warm water bath

4. In a dry ice container

The correct answer is: With ice

Transporting ammonia samples with ice is crucial to preserve the integrity of the sample and prevent changes in the ammonia concentration due to degradation or volatilization. Ammonia is a volatile compound, meaning it can easily evaporate when exposed to higher temperatures. By maintaining a low temperature during transport, the volatility of ammonia is minimized, ensuring that the sample remains stable and accurately represents the patient’s condition at the time of collection. Using ice slows down metabolic processes and reduces the chance of ammonia being converted into other compounds or lost to the atmosphere. This is especially important in clinical settings where precise measurements of ammonia levels are necessary for diagnosing and monitoring certain medical conditions, such as liver disease. In contrast, other methods like transporting at room temperature, using a warm water bath, or relying on dry ice may compromise the sample's stability, leading to inaccurate test results. Therefore, transporting ammonia samples with ice is the recommended practice to ensure their reliability for analysis.