title: Zinc in plasma and serum: influence of contamination due to the collection tubes.
abstract: The contamination caused by rubber stoppers of collection tubes preceding the determination of zinc in plasma and serum was investigated. The use of evacuated blood collection tubes (EBC-tubes), normally used for the collection of serum samples, could give rise to an average artificial increase of normal serum zinc concentrations of about 250%. Heparin containing EBC-tubes, used for the collection of plasma, and plain EBC-tubes of an experimental production appeared to be suitable for correct zinc determinations. There was no difference between the serum and plasma zinc levels of fifty volunteers.
mesh_terms: D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000295:instrumentation; D006493:Heparin; D006801:Humans; D010949:Plasma / Q000032:analysis; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D006493:Heparin; D015032:Zinc