title: Application of ICP-MS and HPLC-ICP-MS for diagnosis and therapy of a severe intoxication with hexavalent chromium and inorganic arsenic.
abstract: ICP-MS and HPLC-ICP-MS were applied for diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring in a severe intoxication with a liquid containing hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) and inorganic arsenic (iAs). In this rare case a liver transplantation of was considered as the only chance of survival. We developed and applied methods for the determination of Cr(VI) in erythrocytes and total chromium (Cr) and arsenic (As) in blood, plasma, urine and liver tissue by ICP-MS. Exposure to iAs was diagnosed by determination of iAs species and their metabolites in urine by anion exchange HPLC-ICP-MS. Three days after ingestion of the liquid the total Cr concentrations were 2180 and 1070μg/L in whole blood and plasma, respectively, and 4540μg/L Cr(VI) in erythrocytes. The arsenic concentration in blood was 206μg/L. The urinary As species concentrations were <0.5, 109, 115, 154 and 126μg/L for arsenobetaine, As(III), As(V), methylarsonate (V) and dimethylarsinate (V), respectively. Total Cr and As concentrations in the explanted liver were 11.7 and 0.9mg/kg, respectively. Further analytical results of this case study are tabulated and provide valuable data for physicians and toxicologists.
authors.affiliation: Medical Laboratory Bremen, Haferwende 12, D-28357 Bremen, Germany. Electronic address: Peter.Heitland@mlhb.de.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Heitland
authors.affiliation: University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blohm
authors.affiliation: Kinderärzte an der Rathausallee, Rathausallee 35-39, 22846 Norderstedt, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Breuer
authors.affiliation: University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brinkert
authors.affiliation: University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Eike Gert
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Achilles
authors.affiliation: University Medical Center, Riga, Latvia.
authors.forename: Ieva
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pukite
authors.affiliation: Medical Laboratory Bremen, Haferwende 12, D-28357 Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: Helmut Dietrich
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Köster
mesh_terms: D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis*; D020261:Arsenic Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002857:Chromium / Q000032:analysis* / Q000506:poisoning*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D013058:Mass Spectrometry
chemical_list: D002857:Chromium; C074702:chromium hexavalent ion; D001151:Arsenic
keywords: Arsenic; Chromium; HPLC-ICP-MS; ICP-MS; Intoxication