A. Taylor et al., ATOMIC SPECTROMETRY UPDATE - CLINICAL AND BIOLOGICAL-MATERIALS, FOOD AND BEVERAGES, Journal of analytical atomic spectrometry, 11(4), 1996, pp. 103-186
This Update spans all the abstracts listed in the 1995 issues of JAAS
(95/1-95/4243). Developments in sample preparation/ enrichment continu
ed apace. Many of these involved FI and were usually coupled directly
to the analytical instrument for on-line measurements. In our recent U
pdates, accelerator MS for investigations of Al physiology has been fe
atured; this year we saw the application of the technique to Ca and ot
her elements. The ever-present interest in lead exposure among childre
n has prompted construction of simple, semi-portable instruments with
electrothermal atomizers, dedicated to measurement of Pb in blood. The
se emerged at Pittcon 1995 and were also shown at later conferences. I
nvestigations of trace element nutrition and metabolism using stable i
sotopes and mass spectrometric methods have been reported in the past,
but this year saw the publication of a comprehensive review of this i
mportant topic. A number of papers from the Fifth Nordic Symposium on
Trace Elements in Human Health and Disease were published in Tile Anal
yst, including two which described endemic arsenic toxicity in West Be
ngal. As the source of exposure was naturally contaminated drinking wa
ter, this tragic situation must have been ongoing for many years, and
it is surprising that information has only recently been forthcoming.