SELENIUM DETERMINATION IN SERUM BY GRAPHITE-FURNACE ATOMIC SPECTROMETRY

Selenium concentration in serum has been proposed as the most valuable indicator of human selenium status. In this work, the concentration o f selenium in serum is measured by GFAAS using longitudinal Zeeman-eff ect background correction, a highly sensitive technique that can be us ed to determine selenium at sub-ppb level. Standard reference material s are analyzed to verify the accuracy and precision of this technique. The direct method proposed in this study is used for the determinatio n of selenium in human serum collected from healthy people of 19 simil ar to 25 years and women of 21 similar to 34 years in the first trimes ter of pregnancy. The method developed in this study, which can quickl y and accurately measure serum selenium, is suitable for applications in clinical diagnosis or biological monitoring.