Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsUsesDetection Time FrameEtG Test AccuracyEtG Test ResultsElimination

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Uses

Detection Time Frame

EtG Test Accuracy

EtG Test Results

Elimination

Theethyl glucuronide(EtG) test is widely used to detect the presence in the urine of ethyl glucuronide. EtG is a breakdown product of ethanol, the intoxicating agent inalcohol. The test can also screen for EtG in the blood, hair, and nails, but the urine test is the most widely used. The main purpose of the EtG test is to document​alcohol abstinence.

Learn why the EtG test is used, how accurate it is, and the truth behind EtG alcohol test facts and myths.

EtG Test Uses

The EtG test is used to detect alcohol abstinence in situations that do not allow drinking. These may include:

One of the primary benefits of an EtG test, compared to blood or breath alcohol tests, is that EtG can be detected longer in the urine than in blood or breath.

It’s important to note that the EtG test is not recommended for workplace testing programs as it does not measure current impairment from alcohol.

The EtG test strips are quite sensitive and can detect even low levels of EtG in the urine. (Remember, the test measures EtG specifically—not alcohol.) The test can confirm that there has been alcohol in the body up to five days after consumption.

In studies of participants without alcohol use disorders, EtG has been detected in urine samples for up to 80 hours (3.3 days) after heavy alcohol exposure.

How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your System?

There are some limitations to this test. The EtG test strips can produce a positive result from exposure to the alcohol that’s present in many daily use products.Environmental or home products that contain alcohol include:

There are hundreds of household products that contain ethanol, according to theConsumer Product Information Database, and exposure to them could possibly lead to a false positive on the EtG test.

But the EtG test strips accurately detect when a person has recently consumed alcohol 70% or more of the time. One study showed that for moderate to heavy drinking, this number jumps to 85%.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) lists EtG as a test that can help rule in or rule out whether someone has been drinking with high accuracy.

The following cutoff values have been proposed for test results.

High Positive

A “high” positive EtG test (for example, >1,000ng/mL) may indicate:

Low Positive

A “low” positive EtG test (for example, 500 to 1,000ng/mL) may indicate:

Very Low Positive

“Very low” positive EtG test (for example, 100 to 500 ng/mL) may indicate:

A 2015 study suggested that a 100 ng/mL cutoff was likely to detect heavy drinking in the previous five days and any drinking in the last two days. A cutoff greater than or equal to 500 ng/mL was likely to only detect heavy drinking during the previous day.

How EtG Is Eliminated From the Body

EtG is eliminated from the body over time after you drink water and other fluids that flush it out when you urinate. Although drinking water does help flush EtG out of your system,it’s a myth that you can use this method to reliably manipulate drug test results.

While you may try drinking a lot of water to flush EtG out of your system in the days leading up to a drug test, you should know that this is not always effective. Laboratories may detect any tampering with urine samples.

It’s also a myth that one drink won’t show up on the EtG test. Whether the test detects one drink depends on many factors, like how recently you drank, your metabolism, and the alcohol percentage of your drink. But if you drank any alcohol in the past five days, there is a high chance the EtG test will detect it.

Remember, EtG tests don’t measure the number of drinks you had. Its job is to indicate whether you’ve had any alcohol at all—not the specific amount.

The only way to ensure you pass an EtG test is to abstain from alcohol consumption.

A Word From Verywell

All in all, the EtG test is considered a highly useful test for detecting recent alcohol consumption. But like any test, there is the possibility for a false positive. This is why a positive test should be confirmed either with another test or with verification from the person that they did indeed drink alcohol.

Hopefully, as the research on EtG and other alcohol use indicators unfold, there will be increasingly accurate ways to distinguish between true alcohol use and exposure to alcohol in environmental products.

What Is the CDT Blood Test for Alcohol?

13 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.McDonell MG, Leickly E, McPherson S, et al.A randomized controlled trial of ethyl glucuronide-based contingency management for outpatients with co-occurring alcohol use disorders and serious mental illness[published correction appears in Am J Psychiatry. 2017 Jun 1;174(6):604].Am J Psychiatry. 2017;174(4):370-377. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2016.16050627Andresen-Streichert H, Müller A, Glahn A, Skopp G, Sterneck M.Alcohol biomarkers in clinical and forensic contexts.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2018;115(18):309-315. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2018.0309Staufer K, Yegles M.Biomarkers for detection of alcohol consumption in liver transplantation.World J Gastroenterol.2016;22(14):3725-34.  doi:10.3748/wjg.v22.i14.3725Medical University of South Carolina.About urine ethylglucuronide (EtG) testing.McDonell MG, Skalisky J, Leickly E, et al.Using ethyl glucuronide in urine to detect light and heavy drinking in alcohol dependent outpatients.Drug Alcohol Depend. 2015;157:184-187. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.10.004Grodin EN, Nguyen X-T, Ho D, Bujarski S, Ray LA.Sensitivity and specificity of a commercial urinary ethyl glucuronide (EtG) test in heavy drinkers.Addictive Behaviors Reports. 2020;11:100249. doi:10.1016/j.abrep.2020.100249Berger L, Fendrich M, Jones J, Fuhrmann D, Plate C, Lewis D.Ethyl glucuronide in hair and fingernails as a long-term alcohol biomarker.Addiction. 2014;109(3):425-31. doi:10.1111/add.12402Shukla L, Sharma P, Ganesha S, et al.Value of ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate in serum as biomarkers of alcohol consumption.Indian J Psychol Med. 2017;39(4):481-487. doi:10.4103/IJPSYM.IJPSYM_71_17Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.The role of biomarkers in the treatment of alcohol use disorders, 2012 revision.FSS Solutions.ETG and ETS: Ethanol Biomarkers.McDonell MG, Skalisky J, Leickly E, et al.Using ethyl glucuronide in urine to detect light and heavy drinking in alcohol dependent outpatients.Drug Alcohol Depend. 2015;157:184-187. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.10.004Shukla L, Sharma P, Ganesha S, et al.Value of ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate in serum as biomarkers of alcohol consumption.Indian J Psychol Med. 2017;39(4):481-487. doi:10.4103/IJPSYM.IJPSYM_71_17Dasgupta A.Direct alcohol biomarkers ethyl glucuronide, ethyl sulfate, fatty acid ethyl esters, and phosphatidylethanol. In:Alcohol and Its Biomarkers.2015:181-220. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-800339-8.00008-0Additional ReadingJastrzębska I, Zwolak A, Szczyrek M, Wawryniuk A, Skrzydło-Radomańska B, Daniluk J.Biomarkers of alcohol misuse: recent advances and future prospects.Przegla̜d Gastroenterologiczny. 2016;11(2):78-89.Jatlow P, O’Malley SS.Clinical (nonforensic) application of ethyl glucuronide measurement: Are we ready?.Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2010;34(6):968-975. doi:10.1111/j.1530-0277.2010.01171.xSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).The role of biomarkers in the treatment of alcohol use disorders, 2012 revision. 2012;11(2).

13 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.McDonell MG, Leickly E, McPherson S, et al.A randomized controlled trial of ethyl glucuronide-based contingency management for outpatients with co-occurring alcohol use disorders and serious mental illness[published correction appears in Am J Psychiatry. 2017 Jun 1;174(6):604].Am J Psychiatry. 2017;174(4):370-377. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2016.16050627Andresen-Streichert H, Müller A, Glahn A, Skopp G, Sterneck M.Alcohol biomarkers in clinical and forensic contexts.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2018;115(18):309-315. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2018.0309Staufer K, Yegles M.Biomarkers for detection of alcohol consumption in liver transplantation.World J Gastroenterol.2016;22(14):3725-34.  doi:10.3748/wjg.v22.i14.3725Medical University of South Carolina.About urine ethylglucuronide (EtG) testing.McDonell MG, Skalisky J, Leickly E, et al.Using ethyl glucuronide in urine to detect light and heavy drinking in alcohol dependent outpatients.Drug Alcohol Depend. 2015;157:184-187. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.10.004Grodin EN, Nguyen X-T, Ho D, Bujarski S, Ray LA.Sensitivity and specificity of a commercial urinary ethyl glucuronide (EtG) test in heavy drinkers.Addictive Behaviors Reports. 2020;11:100249. doi:10.1016/j.abrep.2020.100249Berger L, Fendrich M, Jones J, Fuhrmann D, Plate C, Lewis D.Ethyl glucuronide in hair and fingernails as a long-term alcohol biomarker.Addiction. 2014;109(3):425-31. doi:10.1111/add.12402Shukla L, Sharma P, Ganesha S, et al.Value of ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate in serum as biomarkers of alcohol consumption.Indian J Psychol Med. 2017;39(4):481-487. doi:10.4103/IJPSYM.IJPSYM_71_17Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.The role of biomarkers in the treatment of alcohol use disorders, 2012 revision.FSS Solutions.ETG and ETS: Ethanol Biomarkers.McDonell MG, Skalisky J, Leickly E, et al.Using ethyl glucuronide in urine to detect light and heavy drinking in alcohol dependent outpatients.Drug Alcohol Depend. 2015;157:184-187. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.10.004Shukla L, Sharma P, Ganesha S, et al.Value of ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate in serum as biomarkers of alcohol consumption.Indian J Psychol Med. 2017;39(4):481-487. doi:10.4103/IJPSYM.IJPSYM_71_17Dasgupta A.Direct alcohol biomarkers ethyl glucuronide, ethyl sulfate, fatty acid ethyl esters, and phosphatidylethanol. In:Alcohol and Its Biomarkers.2015:181-220. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-800339-8.00008-0Additional ReadingJastrzębska I, Zwolak A, Szczyrek M, Wawryniuk A, Skrzydło-Radomańska B, Daniluk J.Biomarkers of alcohol misuse: recent advances and future prospects.Przegla̜d Gastroenterologiczny. 2016;11(2):78-89.Jatlow P, O’Malley SS.Clinical (nonforensic) application of ethyl glucuronide measurement: Are we ready?.Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2010;34(6):968-975. doi:10.1111/j.1530-0277.2010.01171.xSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).The role of biomarkers in the treatment of alcohol use disorders, 2012 revision. 2012;11(2).

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

McDonell MG, Leickly E, McPherson S, et al.A randomized controlled trial of ethyl glucuronide-based contingency management for outpatients with co-occurring alcohol use disorders and serious mental illness[published correction appears in Am J Psychiatry. 2017 Jun 1;174(6):604].Am J Psychiatry. 2017;174(4):370-377. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2016.16050627Andresen-Streichert H, Müller A, Glahn A, Skopp G, Sterneck M.Alcohol biomarkers in clinical and forensic contexts.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2018;115(18):309-315. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2018.0309Staufer K, Yegles M.Biomarkers for detection of alcohol consumption in liver transplantation.World J Gastroenterol.2016;22(14):3725-34.  doi:10.3748/wjg.v22.i14.3725Medical University of South Carolina.About urine ethylglucuronide (EtG) testing.McDonell MG, Skalisky J, Leickly E, et al.Using ethyl glucuronide in urine to detect light and heavy drinking in alcohol dependent outpatients.Drug Alcohol Depend. 2015;157:184-187. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.10.004Grodin EN, Nguyen X-T, Ho D, Bujarski S, Ray LA.Sensitivity and specificity of a commercial urinary ethyl glucuronide (EtG) test in heavy drinkers.Addictive Behaviors Reports. 2020;11:100249. doi:10.1016/j.abrep.2020.100249Berger L, Fendrich M, Jones J, Fuhrmann D, Plate C, Lewis D.Ethyl glucuronide in hair and fingernails as a long-term alcohol biomarker.Addiction. 2014;109(3):425-31. doi:10.1111/add.12402Shukla L, Sharma P, Ganesha S, et al.Value of ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate in serum as biomarkers of alcohol consumption.Indian J Psychol Med. 2017;39(4):481-487. doi:10.4103/IJPSYM.IJPSYM_71_17Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.The role of biomarkers in the treatment of alcohol use disorders, 2012 revision.FSS Solutions.ETG and ETS: Ethanol Biomarkers.McDonell MG, Skalisky J, Leickly E, et al.Using ethyl glucuronide in urine to detect light and heavy drinking in alcohol dependent outpatients.Drug Alcohol Depend. 2015;157:184-187. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.10.004Shukla L, Sharma P, Ganesha S, et al.Value of ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate in serum as biomarkers of alcohol consumption.Indian J Psychol Med. 2017;39(4):481-487. doi:10.4103/IJPSYM.IJPSYM_71_17Dasgupta A.Direct alcohol biomarkers ethyl glucuronide, ethyl sulfate, fatty acid ethyl esters, and phosphatidylethanol. In:Alcohol and Its Biomarkers.2015:181-220. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-800339-8.00008-0

McDonell MG, Leickly E, McPherson S, et al.A randomized controlled trial of ethyl glucuronide-based contingency management for outpatients with co-occurring alcohol use disorders and serious mental illness[published correction appears in Am J Psychiatry. 2017 Jun 1;174(6):604].Am J Psychiatry. 2017;174(4):370-377. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2016.16050627

Andresen-Streichert H, Müller A, Glahn A, Skopp G, Sterneck M.Alcohol biomarkers in clinical and forensic contexts.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2018;115(18):309-315. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2018.0309

Staufer K, Yegles M.Biomarkers for detection of alcohol consumption in liver transplantation.World J Gastroenterol.2016;22(14):3725-34.  doi:10.3748/wjg.v22.i14.3725

Medical University of South Carolina.About urine ethylglucuronide (EtG) testing.

McDonell MG, Skalisky J, Leickly E, et al.Using ethyl glucuronide in urine to detect light and heavy drinking in alcohol dependent outpatients.Drug Alcohol Depend. 2015;157:184-187. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.10.004

Grodin EN, Nguyen X-T, Ho D, Bujarski S, Ray LA.Sensitivity and specificity of a commercial urinary ethyl glucuronide (EtG) test in heavy drinkers.Addictive Behaviors Reports. 2020;11:100249. doi:10.1016/j.abrep.2020.100249

Berger L, Fendrich M, Jones J, Fuhrmann D, Plate C, Lewis D.Ethyl glucuronide in hair and fingernails as a long-term alcohol biomarker.Addiction. 2014;109(3):425-31. doi:10.1111/add.12402

Shukla L, Sharma P, Ganesha S, et al.Value of ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate in serum as biomarkers of alcohol consumption.Indian J Psychol Med. 2017;39(4):481-487. doi:10.4103/IJPSYM.IJPSYM_71_17

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.The role of biomarkers in the treatment of alcohol use disorders, 2012 revision.

FSS Solutions.ETG and ETS: Ethanol Biomarkers.

Dasgupta A.Direct alcohol biomarkers ethyl glucuronide, ethyl sulfate, fatty acid ethyl esters, and phosphatidylethanol. In:Alcohol and Its Biomarkers.2015:181-220. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-800339-8.00008-0

Jastrzębska I, Zwolak A, Szczyrek M, Wawryniuk A, Skrzydło-Radomańska B, Daniluk J.Biomarkers of alcohol misuse: recent advances and future prospects.Przegla̜d Gastroenterologiczny. 2016;11(2):78-89.Jatlow P, O’Malley SS.Clinical (nonforensic) application of ethyl glucuronide measurement: Are we ready?.Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2010;34(6):968-975. doi:10.1111/j.1530-0277.2010.01171.xSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).The role of biomarkers in the treatment of alcohol use disorders, 2012 revision. 2012;11(2).

Jastrzębska I, Zwolak A, Szczyrek M, Wawryniuk A, Skrzydło-Radomańska B, Daniluk J.Biomarkers of alcohol misuse: recent advances and future prospects.Przegla̜d Gastroenterologiczny. 2016;11(2):78-89.

Jatlow P, O’Malley SS.Clinical (nonforensic) application of ethyl glucuronide measurement: Are we ready?.Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2010;34(6):968-975. doi:10.1111/j.1530-0277.2010.01171.x

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).The role of biomarkers in the treatment of alcohol use disorders, 2012 revision. 2012;11(2).

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