Multielement determination of major-to-ultratrace elements in biological samples by analytical plasma spectrometry

The multielement determination of major-to-ultratrace elements in biologica l samples by ICP-AES (inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectromet ry) and ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) is reported. Matrix effects, especially due to organic compounds contained at high conce ntrations in biological samples, were examined in detail in terms of non-sp ectral interference and polyatomic ion interference. It was found that the interference of (ArC)-Ar-40-C-12 with Cr-52 could be corrected by the CF (c orrection factor) method, which was estimated from the apparent ion counts of Cr-52 and the emission intensity of C at 247.8 nm. The major-to-ultratra ce elements in freeze-dried human urine standard reference material (NIST S RM 2670; elevated) and human hair reference material (NIES CRM No. 13) were determined using both ICP-AES and ICP-MS. Furthermore, rare earth elements (REEs) in human blood serum (human blood serum reference material NIES CRM No. 4 and personal human blood serum samples) were determined by ICP-MS af ter acid digestion and chelating resin preconcentration. The REE distributi on pattern of human blood serum showed some similarity to that of seawater.