A new procedure for the determination of 21 macro- and trace elements in human fetal urine using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with dynamic reaction cell (ICP-DRC-MS) equipped with a micro-flow nebulizer

Adam Sajnóg; Marcin Tkaczyk; Małgorzata Stańczyk; Krzysztof Szaflik; Joanna Suliburska; Rafał Kocyłowski; Danuta Barałkiewicz

doi:10.1016/j.talanta.2020.121672

A new procedure for the determination of 21 macro- and trace elements in human fetal urine using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with dynamic reaction cell (ICP-DRC-MS) equipped with a micro-flow nebulizer

Talanta. 2021 Jan 15:222:121672. doi: 10.1016/j.talanta.2020.121672. Epub 2020 Sep 17.

Authors

Adam Sajnóg¹, Marcin Tkaczyk², Małgorzata Stańczyk², Krzysztof Szaflik³, Joanna Suliburska⁴, Rafał Kocyłowski⁵, Danuta Barałkiewicz⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Trace Analysis, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61-614, Poznań, Poland; Center for Advanced Technology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 10, 61-614, Poznań, Poland. Electronic address: adam.sajnog@amu.edu.pl.
² Department of Pediatrics, Immunology and Nephrology, Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital Research Institute, ul. Rzgowska 281/289, 93-338, Lódź, Poland.
³ Department of Gynecology, Fertility and Fetal Therapy, Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital Research Institute, ul. Rzgowska 281/289, 93-338, Lódź, Poland.
⁴ Institute of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Poznan University of Life Sciences, ul. Wojska Polskiego 31, 60-624, Poznań, Poland.
⁵ PreMediCare New Med Medical Center, ul. Drużbickiego 13, 61-693, Poznań, Poland.
⁶ Department of Trace Analysis, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61-614, Poznań, Poland.

PMID: 33167281
DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2020.121672

Abstract

The procedure for determination of 21 macro- and trace elements - Li, Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Se, Sr, As, Cd, Sb, Ba, Pb and U - in human fetal urine by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was developed and validated. The application of a micronebulizer and a dynamic reaction cell (DRC) allowed to perform a full analysis of small volumes (200 μL) of urine collected from human fetuses without the need for sample digestion with closed microwave systems. The procedure and ICP-MS instrument was thoroughly optimized in order to reliably determine both macroelements and ultra-trace concentrations of elements. The internal standard method (Ge, Rh and Tb) was applied in order to encompass signal drift and non-spectral interferences. The rules of metrology were used in order to ensure the quality of the results: (1) the procedure was validated, (2) the uncertainty of the measurement results was estimated and (3) the traceability of the measurement result was established by using the certified reference material with matching matrix (Seronorm Trace Elements Urine L-1). Also, the analyte addition method to the artificial urine was employed for additional confirmation of trueness of the procedure. The selected parameters of the procedure were as follows: (a) limits of detection - (0.00023-53 μg L^-1) for U and Ca, respectively, (b) recoveries of the reference value - 81%-136% for Mn and Cd, respectively (c) linearity expressed as R - greater than 0.999, and (d) expanded relative uncertainties (k = 2) - 13%-66% for Sr and Cd, respectively. The developed and validated procedure was applied to 58 samples of urine collected from human fetuses. The samples were diluted with nitric acid and analyzed without further treatment. The procedure allowed to reliably determine both macro- and trace elements in very low volume of sample in a single analytical run.

Keywords: Elements; Human fetal urine; ICP-MS; Metrology; Micro-flow nebulizer; Procedure development.

MeSH terms

Democratic Republic of the Congo
Fetus
Humans
Mass Spectrometry
Nebulizers and Vaporizers
Trace Elements* / analysis

Substances

Trace Elements