When individuals undergo workplace screening or mandated substance monitoring, testing often includes the detection of alcohol in addition to illegal drugs. These tests are common in safety-sensitive industries, such as transportation, or as a requirement for legal compliance programs. Because alcohol is metabolized quickly, testing methods must be precise to determine if use has occurred, even days before the test. This need for precision leads to the use of specific chemical abbreviations on laboratory reports to distinguish between the parent compound and its byproducts.
The Primary Abbreviation for Alcohol (ETOH)
The primary abbreviation for the type of alcohol people consume is ETOH, which stands for ethanol, or ethyl alcohol. This chemical compound is found in beer, wine, and spirits, and ETOH testing directly measures its presence in the body.
When a urine drug screen includes ETOH, it assesses very recent consumption or possible current impairment. Ethanol clears from the body rapidly, meaning the detection window is typically only up to 12 to 24 hours after drinking ceases. Because of this short timeframe, labs often rely on other markers to confirm alcohol use over a longer period.
Metabolite Markers Used in Testing (ETG and ETS)
To extend the detection window, laboratories look for specific byproducts the body creates as it processes ethanol, known as metabolites. The two most common markers are Ethyl Glucuronide (ETG) and Ethyl Sulfate (ETS).
Both ETG and ETS are direct, non-oxidative metabolites of ethanol, meaning they are only produced when the liver processes ethyl alcohol. They linger in the urine long after the parent alcohol has been eliminated from the body, making them favored for monitoring abstinence.
While ETOH is detectable for hours, ETG and ETS can be found in urine for up to 80 hours, or approximately three to five days, following heavy alcohol consumption. For moderate drinking, the detection window is often closer to 24 to 48 hours. Many labs test for both ETG and ETS concurrently, as the presence of both biomarkers increases the accuracy and reliability of the test result.
Interpreting the Test Panel Results
The abbreviations ETOH, ETG, and ETS on a test report are usually accompanied by a numerical value or a simple “POS” (Positive) or “NEG” (Negative) result. A positive result depends on a predefined concentration limit known as the cut-off level.
This threshold is measured in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) and differentiates between meaningful consumption and trace exposure. The primary purpose of the cut-off is to screen out insignificant levels that could result from incidental exposure, such as alcohol-based hand sanitizers or mouthwashes.
For ETG testing, common cut-off levels are 100 ng/mL and 500 ng/mL. The lower 100 ng/mL threshold is highly sensitive for strict abstinence programs, while the 500 ng/mL level is often used in forensic settings to minimize the chance of a false positive. For example, the consensus forensic cut-off for ETG is 500 ng/mL, while the parallel ETS forensic cut-off is 100 ng/mL.