ICP-MS trace element analysis in serum and whole blood

PLoS One. 2020 May 20;15(5):e0233357. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233357. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Trace elements and minerals are compounds that are essential for the support of a variety of biological functions and play an important role in the formation of and the defense against oxidative stress. Here we describe a technique, allowing sequential detection of the trace elements (K, Zn, Se, Cu, Mn, Fe, Mg) in serum and whole blood by an ICP-MS method using single work-up, which is a simple, quick and robust method for the sequential measurement and quantification of the trace elements Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Calcium (Ca), Zinc (Zn), Selenium (Se), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn) and Magnesium (Mg) in whole blood as well as Copper (Cu), Selenium (Se), Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), Magnesium (Mg), Manganese (Mn), Chromium (Cr), Nickel (Ni), Gold (Au) and Lithium (Li) in human serum. For analysis, only 100 μl of serum or whole blood is sufficient, which make this method suitable for detecting trace element deficiency or excess in newborns and infants. All samples were processed and analyzed by ICP-MS (Agilent Technologies). The accuracy, precision, linearity and the limit of quantification (LOQ), Limit of Blank (LOB) and the limit of detection (LOD) of the method were assessed. Recovery rates were between 80-130% for most of the analyzed elements; repeatabilities (Cv %) calculated were below 15% for most of the measured elements. The validity of the proposed methodology was assessed by analyzing a certified human serum and whole blood material with known concentrations for all elements; the method described is ready for routine use in biomonitoring studies.

MeSH terms

  • Calcium / blood
  • Chromium / blood
  • Copper / blood
  • Gold / blood
  • Humans
  • Iron / blood
  • Limit of Detection
  • Lithium / blood
  • Magnesium / blood
  • Manganese / blood
  • Nickel / blood
  • Potassium / blood
  • Selenium / blood
  • Sodium / blood
  • Spectrophotometry, Atomic / methods*
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry / methods*
  • Trace Elements / blood*
  • Zinc / blood

Substances

  • Trace Elements
  • Chromium
  • Manganese
  • Gold
  • Copper
  • Nickel
  • Lithium
  • Sodium
  • Iron
  • Selenium
  • Magnesium
  • Zinc
  • Potassium
  • Calcium

Grants and funding

The authors received no specific funding for this work. The Swiss Analysis AG provided support the form of salaries for authors N.L., K.P. and O.K., but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The specific roles of these authors are articulated in the ‘author contributions’ section.