The separation of arsenic metabolites in urine by high performance liquid chromatographyinductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine a separation method for each arsenic metabolite in urine by using a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)- inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS).


METHODS
Separation of the arsenic metabolites was conducted in urine by using a polymeric anion-exchange (Hamilton PRP X-100, 4.6 mm×150 mm, 5 μm) column on Agilent Technologies 1260 Infinity LC system coupled to Agilent Technologies 7700 series ICP/MS equipment using argon as the plasma gas.


RESULTS
All five important arsenic metabolites in urine were separated within 16 minutes in the order of arsenobetaine, arsenite, dimethylarsinate, monomethylarsonate and arsenate with detection limits ranging from 0.15 to 0.27 μg/L (40 μL injection). We used GEQUAS No. 52, the German external quality assessment scheme and standard reference material 2669, National Institute of Standard and Technology, to validate our analyses.


CONCLUSIONS
The method for separation of arsenic metabolites in urine was established by using HPLC-ICP-MS. This method contributes to the evaluation of arsenic exposure, health effect assessment and other bio-monitoring studies for arsenic exposure in South Korea.
Heavy Metal Exposure Environmental Health Center, Dong-A University, Busan, Korea.
Jin-Yong
JY
Chung
Heavy Metal Exposure Environmental Health Center, Dong-A University, Busan, Korea.
Hyoun-Ju
HJ
Lim
Agilent Technologies Korea Ltd., Seoul, Korea.
Young-Jin
YJ
Kim
Department of Dermatology, Dong-A University Hospital, Busan, Korea.
Ki-Hoon
KH
Song
Heavy Metal Exposure Environmental Health Center, Dong-A University, Busan, Korea ; Department of Preventive Medicine, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
Byoung-Gwon
BG
Kim
Heavy Metal Exposure Environmental Health Center, Dong-A University, Busan, Korea ; Department of Preventive Medicine, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
Young-Seoub
YS
Hong
Arsenic; Arsenic metabolites; HPLC-ICP-MS; Urine