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1: Chem Cent J. 2008 Jul 2;2:14.Click here to read Click here to read Links

Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry as a routine method for the quantification of beryllium in blood and serum.

Stephan CH, Fournier M, Brousseau P, Sauvé S.

Department of Chemistry, Université de Montréal, P,O, 6128, Station Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC, Canada, H3C 3J7. sebastien.sauve@umontreal.ca.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: A routine method for the quantification of beryllium in biological fluids is essential for the development of a chelation therapy for Chronic Beryllium Disease (CBD). We describe a procedure for the direct determination of beryllium in undigested micro quantities of human blood and serum using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Blood and serum samples are prepared respectively by a simple 8-fold and 5-fold dilution with a Nash Reagent. Three experimental setups are compared: using no modifier, using magnesium nitrate and using palladium/citric acid as chemical modifiers. RESULTS: In serum, both modifiers did not improve the method sensitivity, the optimal pyrolysis and atomization temperatures are 1000 degrees C and 2900 degrees C, respectively. In blood, 6 mug of magnesium nitrate was found to improve the method sensitivity. The optimal pyrolysis and atomization temperatures were 800 degrees C and 2800 degrees C respectively. CONCLUSION: In serum, the method detection limit was 2 ng l-1, the characteristic mass was 0.22 (+/- 0.07) pg and the accuracy ranged from 95 to 100%. In blood, the detection limit was 7 ng l-1, the characteristic mass was 0.20 (+/- 0.02) pg and the accuracy ranged from 99 to 101%.

PMID: 18597692 [PubMed - in process]

PMCID: PMC2459166