Capabilities of fast protein liquid chromatography coupled to a double focusing inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer for trace metal speciation in human serum

The analytical potential of fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) coupl ed with a double focusing inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (DF- ICP-MS) was evaluated for the multielemental speciation of trace elements i n human serum. The separation of the main serum proteins was performed in a MonoQ (HR5/5) anion exchange column using an ammonium acetate gradient (0- 0.5 mol l(-1)) at the physiological pH of 7.4 (0.05 mol l(-1) TRIS-HCl buff er) as the mobile phase. Proteins were first detected on-line spectrophotom etrically at 295 nm and specific detection of metals was also carried out o n-line by using a double focusing ICP-MS working at both low (m/Delta m = 3 00) and medium resolution (m/Delta m = 3000) in order to avoid possible pol yatomic interferences. The use of variable resolution to carry out multiele ment speciation studies allowed the detection of Ca, Sr, Fe, Cu, Zn, Se, Mn , Cr, Pb, Al and Sn in different-serum samples and introduces a new dimensi on to this area of investigation. From the multielemental study it was obse rved that detectable levels of Cr, Al, Pb and Sn were present in uraemic se ra while those elements could not be detected in healthy subjects.