Trace elements in biology

Byrne AR, Deemelj M, Kosta L, and Tusek-Znidaric M (1984) Radiochemical neutron activation analysis in standardization of trace elements in biological reference materials at the nanogram level. Mikrochim Acta [Wien] 1 119-126. 

Kosta L, and Byrne AR (1982) Analytical evaluation of comparative data on trace elements in biological materials. J Radioanal Nud Chem 69 117-129. 

Mavrodineanu R, ed. 1977) Procedures Used at the National Bureau of Standards to Determine Selected Trace Elements in Biological and Botanical Materials. National Bureau of Standards Spec Publ 492. National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC. 

Taylor A (1996) Reference materials and analytical standards to stimulate improved laboratory performance Experience from the external quality assessment scheme for trace elements in biological samples. Mikrochim Acta 123 251-260. 

IAEA (1985) [Muramai SU Y, Parr RM] Survey of currently available reference materials for use in connection with the determination of trace elements in biological and environmental materials. Report IAEA/RL/128, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria. 

Table 3. Averaged fluxes of trace elements in biological cycling of Boreal and Sub-Boreal Forest ecosystems (after Dobrovolsky, 1994).

A comparison of automated pipetting with manual pipetting, by Weltz [16]. demonstrates a difference of approximately one order of magnitude 0.4% RSD for automatic sample introduction versus 3.2% RSD for manual sample introduction. To achieve optimum results for trace elements in biological materials, the use of dedicated automated samplers is recommended. The Hquid-handhng capabihties of a pipetter/diluter workstation have been evaluated at Ortho Pharmaceutical (Haller et al. [17]). Four different volumes of each of three solvents were dispensed 20 times. Actual volumes... 

Although lEC has been used to separate large molecules most application have been in the fractionation of low molecular mass species. Some of the applications to the study of the speciation of trace elements in biological materials and the necessary pretreatment steps are summarised in Table 2. 

Both flame and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry are two of the commonest techniques used for the determination of metals and metalloids. Various authors " have discussed the application of both to the analysis of trace elements in biological materials. 

In addition to ICP-MS for the multi-element analysis of aqueous solutions, LA-ICP-MS allows the direct determination of trace elements in biological samples and due to this feature it is a well suited analytical technique for microlocal analysis with spatial resolution. In 1995, Outridge el al.lg reported on the performance of an LA-ICP-MS analysis for studying incremental biological structures as archives of trace element accumulation. The use of LA-ICP-MS for several biological (and environmental) applications is reviewed by Durrant and Ward.19 Selected examples for determination of trace elements and species in biological samples are summarized in Table 9.25. 

Trace elements, in biological systems. 941-953 Transactinide elements. 599-607, 613-617... 

Determination of Trace Elements in Biological Standard Kale by Neutron... 

Borg, D. C., R. E. Segel, P. Kienle, and L. Campbell Selective Radioactivation and Multiple Coincidence Spectrometry in the Determination of Trace Elements in Biological Material, Measurement of Manganese. Intern. J. Appl. Radiation Isotopes 11, 10 (1961). 

Iron enjoys a unique position as an essential trace element in biological systems. By virtue of its role in electron transfer it is generally present in higher concentration than the other trace elements. At the same time its extreme insolubility at physiological pH and the myriad of reaction... 

Y. Schmitt, Influence of preanalytical factors on the atomic absorption spectrometry determination of trace elements in biological samples, J. Trace Elem. Electrolytes Health Dis., 1 (1987), 107-114. 

P. Martins, D. Pozebon, V. L. Dressier, G. A. Kemieciki, Determination of trace elements in biological materials using tetramethylammonium hydroxide for sample preparation, Anal. Chim. Acta, 470 (2002), 195D204. 

Y. Okamoto, T. Fujiwara, T. Kumamaru, Direct determination of trace elements in biological materials by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry with a tungsten boat furnace, Anal. Sci., 13 (1997), 25D26. 

H. Matusiewicz, B. Golik, Determination of major and trace elements in biological materials by microwave induced plasma optical emission spectrometry (MIP-OES) following tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solubilization, Microchem. J., 76 (2004), 23 D29. 

S. Caroli, A. Alimonti, P. Delle Femmine, F. Petrucci, O. Senofonte, N. Violante, A. Menditto, G. Morisi, A. Menotti, P. Falconieri, Role of inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry in the assessment of reference values for trace elements in biological matrices, J. Anal. Atom. Spectrom., 7 (1992), 859-864. 

The early 1960 s saw the introduction of flame atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) to clinical laboratories and this provided a sensitive yet simple analytical technique for the estimation of some trace elements in biological fluids. Trace elements is now perhaps an inaccurate description for those metals previously detectable in only small amounts when using older and less sensitive analytical techniques. Many such elements can now be estimated with precision and this has proved a great stimulus to trace-element research in clinical medicine. The number of trace elements known to be essential to man has doubled in the last twenty years [1]. Specific and treatable diseases are now known to be associated with excess or deficiency of trace elements and even in advanced societies dietary intake of some elements may be less than ideal [2]. Thus, monitoring of biological fluids for trace element levels in both health and disease can contribute towards major advances in nutritional management. 

The substoichiometric principle is also applied for determination of trace elements in biological systems. Some examples are listed in Table 19.1. The detection limits are usually <1 mg/1, in some cases (e.g. (QH6)2Hg) <10 nig/1. 

Fomin, A. A. Determination of trace elements in biological materials by paper partition-chromatography. Mikroelement. Biosfere Ikh Prismen, S-kh. Med. Sib. Dal nejo Wastoka, D Dokl. Sib. Konf. 4th 1972 (Publ. 1973) 490 C. A. 83, 4 045e (1975)... 

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