title: Improved determination of selenium in serum by Zeeman atomic absorption spectrometry.
abstract: We have improved Zeeman atomic absorption spectrometric determination of selenium in serum by using an acidic solution of Ag + Cu + Mg as a matrix modifier and performing the charring step in flowing O2. Under these conditions, we could calibrate serum results with selenium standards in bovine albumin solutions. Mean analytical recovery was 98%, and the CV was 1.8% within runs, 2.9% between runs. Analysis of Reference Materials from the U.S. National Bureau of Standards (SRM 909 and RM 8419) yielded the values of 106 (SD 2.4) and 15 (SD 1.6) microgram/L, respectively, in good agreement with the expected values (106 and 16, respectively). The method--being reliable and relatively simple and rapid--is suitable for use in epidemiological screenings. Mean selenium concentrations in serum sampled from 274 adults in central Italy were 90 (SD 15) microgram/L. For 11-year-old children, these values were lower and showed a tendency to sex-related difference: 82 (SD 9.9) microgram/L for 97 boys, 78 (SD 9.3) microgram/L for 90 girls.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio di Biochimice, Clinica, Institute Superiore di Sanitá Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morisi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Patriarca
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Menotti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D003300:Copper; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008274:Magnesium; D017616:Magnesium Compounds; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009566:Nitrates; D010100:Oxygen; D012016:Reference Values; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood*; D012835:Silver Nitrate; D012996:Solutions; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic
chemical_list: D017616:Magnesium Compounds; D009566:Nitrates; D012996:Solutions; C018330:magnesium nitrate; D003300:Copper; D012835:Silver Nitrate; D012643:Selenium; D008274:Magnesium; D010100:Oxygen