Clinical applications of ICP-MS

Clinical applications of ICP-MS have increased significantly in the past decade. The t)fpes of biological samples analysed by ICP-MS have diversified and now include whole blood, plasma, serum, urine, interstitial fluids, internal organs, teeth, bones, hair, nails, metal-binding proteins as well as various types of human and animal cells. 

Biological sample analysis by ICP-MS is not without problems. In biological samples, interferences from atomic and molecular ions produced in the plasma from argon and matrix constituents of the aspirated solutions plague the quantification of several elements,3- e.g. ai/i cI N/ cI NH, k/ SAtIH, CaJ Ar, As/ Ar Sci, 

Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry Handbook Edited by Simon M. Nelms 2005 Blackwell Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-405-10916-1 

Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry Handbook 

Often the low levels of the elements are being determined in a heavy matrix, and so historically, samples were always analysed using matrix-matched standards and standard addition methods. Using ICP-MS, it is possible with the selection of the appropriate isotopes and internal standards to measure trace elements in biological matrices using external aqueous calibrations for matrices such as urine and semm. Blood samples with a simple dilution usually require matrix-matched standards, whereas if digested, it is possible to use aqueous standards. 

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