Multi-elements (aluminium, copper, magnesium, manganese, selenium and zinc) determination in serum by dynamic reaction cell-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry.
BACKGROUND
Trace element determination in laboratory medicine is widely carried out by atomic absorption or emission spectroscopy. In the last decade, there has been a rapid growth in the use of inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry because of its strong detection power, and the possibility of multi-elements analysis in a single run.


METHODS
Having the advantages of smaller sample volume and better detection limit, we developed a method for the simultaneous determinations of six trace elements by using 100 microL serum, and the assay can be accomplished within 3 min.


RESULTS
The method developed gave recovery of the six elements ranging from 97% to 117%. The method covered a wide dynamic range with manganese in the range of nmol/L, while magnesium was in the range of mmol/L. The detection limits were 0.001 mmol/L, 0.05 micromol/L, 2.0 nmol/L, 0.2 micromol/L, 0.05 micromol/L, and 0.01 micromol/L for magnesium, aluminium, manganese, copper, zinc, and selenium, respectively. All the six elements had intra-assay imprecision of less than 5%, and inter-assay imprecision of less than 8%.


CONCLUSIONS
This fast and robust method is suitable for use in the clinical laboratory where short turnaround time is needed for managing patients with trace element deficiency or toxicity.
Wah Fong
Bonnie Mei
BM
Division of Clinical Biochemistry, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Siu
Tak Shing
TS
Kit Lee
Joseph Sai
JS
Tam
Sidney
S
D000535:Aluminum / Q000097:blood; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood; D008345:Manganese / Q000097:blood; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D008670:Metals / Q000097:blood*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood
D008670:Metals; D008345:Manganese; D003300:Copper; D000535:Aluminum; D012643:Selenium; D008274:Magnesium; D015032:Zinc