1. Patient must be fasting (at least 4 hours)
2. Call the lab for special collection tube T012 Pyruvate Tube (contains 2.5 mL of 6% perchloric acid), must be pre-chilled
3. Draw enough blood into a syringe to be able to transfer exactly 1 ml of blood into pre-chilled perchloric acid tube
4. After blood is in tube close tightly and shake vigorously to mix. Blood will turn a brown and chunky color
5. If perchloric acid spills a new tube will need to be obtained.