Atomic absorption spectroscopy biology

Matousek, J. P. and Stevens, B. J. "Biological Applications of the Carbon Rod Atomizer in Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy". Clin. Chem. (1971), J7, 363-368. 

Over thirty different elements have been determined in medical and biological materials by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The popularity of the technique is due to a number of factors, including sensitivity, selectivity, and ease of sample preparation. With biological fluids, often no preparation at all is required. The techniques employed usually involve simple dilution of the sample with water or with an appropriate reagent to eliminate interference. Alternatively, the element to be determined is separated by solvent extraction. Either an untreated sample, a protein free filtrate, or an ashed sample is extracted. 

In the present work, emphasis is placed on summarizing recent applications of atomic absorption spectroscopy for the analysis of biological and medicinal materials. Reports prior to mid 1967 are discussed in detail elsewhere 2 3)... 

Atomic absorption spectroscopy has been used for the analysis of several metals in numerous other biological, medicinal, and agricultural materials. Early determinations have been summarized 23). 

The principles and applications of atomic absorption spectroscopy to clinical and biological analysis have been reviewed by several authors 279-286) and automation in the analysis has been reviewed 28 ). 

An interesting application of atomic absorption spectroscopy is the indirect determination of nonmetals. Christian and Feldman 191 have described the various indirect methods that can be used. Methods have been described for the determination of several nonmetals in biological samples. 

Feldman, F. J. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. Applications in Agriculture, Biology and Medicine. New York Wiley-Interscience 1970. 

Christian, G. D. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy for the Determination of Elements in Medical Biological Samples. 26, 77—112 (1972). 

During in vivo studies under biologically relevant conditions, the cis-Pt loading of the DNA is much lower than for the above-mentioned in vitro studies. It has been calculated that mortality of HeLa cells occurs at an value of 10 5 (i.e., one bound cis-Pt molecule per 105 nucleotides) (64a). This excludes atomic absorption spectroscopy for identification of the in vivo adducts. Immunochemical techniques, however, have shown to be very promising, and high sensitivity and selectivity levels have been reached. At the moment, only a few studies in which antibodies are raised against cis-Pt-treated DNA (64) or against synthetic cis-Pt adducts with mono- or dinucleotides are available (64a). With the latter method, quantitation of the different platinum-DNA adducts formed under in vivo conditions is possible. At the moment, femtomole (10-15 mol) amounts of the adducts can be detected with competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques. It has been demonstrated in this manner that the GG-Pt adduct is also the predominant adduct under in vivo conditions. 

Trace levels (10 to 10 g/g of sample) of silver can be accurately determined in biological samples by several different analytical techniques, provided that the analyst is well acquainted with the specific problems associated with the chosen method. These methods include high frequency plasma torch-atomic emission spectroscopy (HFP-AES), neutron activation analysis (NAA), graphite furnace (flameless) atomic absorption spectroscopy (GFAAS), flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS), and micro-cup atomic absorption spectroscopy (MCAAS). 

Water quality projects such as those described below have been shown to be effective methods for engaging students in environmental chemistry courses for majors (Juhl et al. 1997) and for nonscience majors (Lunsford et al. 2007). When the water quality research projects were conducted, Chemistry and the Environment was linked to a world geography course as part of a learning community. Poor water quality and access to potable water were a global environmental theme for both courses. Consequently, the chemistry research projects focused primarily on water analysis. Field water testing kits, atomic absorption spectroscopy, and fluorescence methods (typically for biological con-... 

Me tals and metallic compounds are among the toxic substances most often found in workplace environments (1,2), Industrial hygienists and hygiene chemists must accurately determine the presence and amount of toxic metals and their compounds in the industrial environment. Accurate methods for the quantification of metals in biological and atmospheric samples are required for the industrial hygienist to properly evaluate the environment. Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) has been the primary method of analysis for toxic metals because AAS is sensitive, specific, and rapid especially compared to colorimetric analysis. 

B. Llyod, P. Holt, P. H. T. Delves, Determination of selenium in biological samples by hydride generation and atomic absorption spectroscopy, Analyst, 107 (1982), 927-933. 

M. Deaker, W. Maher, Determination of selenium in seleno-compounds and marine biological tissues using stabilised temperature platform furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy, J. Anal. Atom. Spectrom., 10 (1995), 423-434. 

Total iron levels (free -I- bound) in a range of biological systems such as urine, plasma, membranes, solution etc. can be determined applying atomic absorption spectroscopy. 

Atomic, Absorption Spectroscopy, Analysis of Biological Materials by (Willis). 11... 

In the following subsections the application of atomic absorption spectroscopy to the determination of the more important elements of biological and clinical interest is presented, and special problems and interferences encountered with individual elements are discussed in detail. The resonance lines given at the beginning of each subsection are those showing greatest absorption, although many elements possess several resonance lines that can be used in analysis. The sensitivity limits quoted are the lowest reported in the literature, usually defined as that concentration of the test element in aqueous solution which produces 1% absorption. The reproducibility of results by most atomic absorption techniques lies... 

The development of fast and accurate procedures for the determination of calcium in biological materials represents one of the important early achievements of atomic absorption spectroscopy. The diflBculties encountered with calcium in emission flame photometry are well known (Dll, L6, S6, SIO), but spectral interferences and extreme dependency on flame temperature, serious obstacles in emission, are either nonexistent or of lower importance in absorption. Chemical interferences, however. 

At least sixteen papers have appeared up to the present time on the determination of magnesium by atomic absorption spectroscopy and nine of these deal with biological materials. This pronounced interest undoubtedly derives from the fact that while wet chemical (H7) and flame emission methods (Al, Dll, F4, MIO) are unsatisfactory in many respects, atomic absorption allows for rapid and accurate analysis of magnesium with sensitivities unexcelled with other elements (Fig. 16). 

Only a few reports have appeared up to the present time on the application of atomic absorption spectroscopy to the determination of manganese in biological materials. Allan (A7) analyzed plants after wet-ashing with nitric and perchloric acids, and a similar project including a study of interferences was carried out by David (D9). A manganese recovery experiment from human plasma is reported by Manning (M2a). 

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