title: [Analytical and problematic features in the study of reference values].
abstract: The determination of Reference Values (R.V.) in biological fluids is a hard task for analytical laboratories because: (1) the instrumentation must have detection limits adequate to low concentration levels; (2) the analytical method adopted should reduce the sample manipulation in order to avoid the cross-contamination; (3) the control of pre-analytical factors must assure low levels of blank in term of absolute value and variability. The possibility to analyze the samples without pretreatment by using hyphenated techniques with low detection limits it is the main tool to obtain reliable reference values. The large number of papers recently published and the reported examples show that the determination of metallic species in biological fluids can be successfully performed by ICP-MS in its different configuration and that mass spectrometry can be considered as reference technique in this specific application field.
authors.affiliation: ENEL P-Laboratorio di Piacenza, Via Nino Bixio 39, 29100 Piacenza.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bettinelli
mesh_terms: D001826:Body Fluids / Q000737:chemistry*; D002624:Chemistry, Clinical / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D012016:Reference Values
vernacular_title: Aspetti e problematiche analitiche nello studio dei valori di riferimento.