A rapid tissue extraction method for determining liver copper content by atomic absorption spectroscopy.
A simple method using tissue extraction of Copper (Cu) in 8M nitric acid for 45 minutes at 100 degrees C, followed by sample dilution and Cu quantitation by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy is described. The detection limit of the method is 16 micromol Cu/kg liver. The mean recovery of added Cu was 100.4%. This method for liver copper analysis correlated well with a method using nitric/perchloric acid digestion and atomic absorption spectroscopy (r2 = .986) and is faster, less expensive and less hazardous.
Carthew
G W
GW
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Animal Health Laboratory, Private Bag, Whangarei.
Dey
R L
RL