Ciulla Clinical Chemistry Practice Test

The Reinsch test is a qualitative screen for metallic poisons in urine. It works by converting metal ions present in the urine to elemental metal and allowing that metal to deposit on a copper surface. Metals such as arsenic, mercury, and bismuth readily form metallic deposits on the copper strip, so they produce a positive result. Cyanide, on the other hand, is not a metal and does not form a metallic deposit on copper in this test, so it will not be identified by the Reinsch test. For cyanide detection, specialized, non-metal-focused methods are required.