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A rapid determination method for emergency response to health crisis caused by metals in foods, was developed using microwave decomposition equipment and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). The method was assessed for 18 elements (Al, As, B, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn, Tl and Zn) in 5 kinds of beverages and 7 kinds of foods. A single-laboratory method validation study was performed using food samples added with 20 mg/kg of each metal. Trueness was 88-108% and intralaboratory reproducibility was 0.2-11.3%. Time required for analysis was less than 3 hr. Thus, the presented method could be useful for rapid analysis of metals involved food poisoning cases.

Background In our previous study, the AOAC Official MethodSM2012.15 (Method 2012.15) was modified by adding carbon (as methanol) to the standard and final test solutions for accurate quantification of iodine in infant and special formulas after incomplete matrix oven digestion. However, when an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) instrument from a different manufacturer was used, inaccurately low iodine content values were obtained using both the original and modified methods. Objective To obtain more reliable values for infant formulas using varying ICP-MS instruments. Methods The protocol was modified by changing the ratio of the pump tubing inner diameters (IDs) for the ICP-MS system or by optimizing the internal standards for Method 2012.15. Results No significant improvement was observed by changing the ratio of the pump tubing IDs. In the optimization study of the internal standard, when germanium is used as the internal standard, the measurement result of NIST SRM® 1849 was within the certified value range. Furthermore, with the addition of methanol equivalent to 5% to the standard and final test solution based on our previous study, the recovery of the samples was within the certified range of SMPR 2012.008. Conclusions This demonstrates that changing the internal standard to germanium and adding methanol equivalent to 5％ to the standard and final test solution, can result in stable measurement even when the ICP-MS specifications were changed. Highlights The modified Method 2012.15 provides reliable results even if the instrument is changed by changing the internal standard to germanium.

Axial view liquid electrode plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (axial view LEP-AES) was proposed and fabricated successfully in this work. The emission spectra from Zn, Cd, Pb, Ca, and K were applied for characterization and optimization. Comparing with conventional radial view LEP-AES devices, the newly designed axial view-LEP provided better sensing ability toward trace heavy metals. Moreover, pulsed voltage discharge was found to be advantageous over continuous discharge under the same discharge time for detection. The optimized parameters facilitate the limit of detection to achieve 0.24, 0.051, and 0.85 μg L

Background Chocolate is a rich source of essential and non-essential elements. A new liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) approach, extraction induced by emulsion breaking (EIEB), is proposed in which the analyzed elements are transferred from the organic phase to the aqueous phase before measurement by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). Objective To compare EIEB to microwave digestion (MWD) for extraction of elements from chocolate prior to FAAS. Methods EIEB parameters were varied to optimize the procedure. EIEB-FAAS was then compared to MWD-FAAS for the analysis of Ca, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn in milk and dark chocolate samples. A certified reference material (NIST 2384, baking chocolate) was analyzed to determine the recoveries of Ca, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn by the two methods. Results The optimized EIEB extraction method involves dilution of tempered chocolate with toluene, ultrasonic emulsification with acidified Triton X-114, breaking the emulsion by heating, and centrifugation to produce two well-defined phases. Analysis of dark and milk chocolate samples showed similar repeatability by EIEB-FAAS (RSDr 0.3 to 6.6% in dark and 0.5 to 8.7% in milk) and MWD-FAAS (RSDr 0.5 to 5.4% in dark and 0.7 to 10.2% in milk), with no significant difference detected between the methods for analysis of Ca, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn based on Student’s t-test. Analysis of NIST 2384 baking chocolate certified reference material for Ca, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn demonstrated recoveries of 98.6 to 99.5% for EIEB-FAAS compared to 95.8 to 98.6% for MWD-FAAS. Conclusion EIEB-FAAS was shown to provide high recovery and excellent repeatability for accurate determination of Ca, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn from dark and milk chocolates. Highlight The EIEB-FAAS method is simpler and requires fewer reagents compared to other sample preparation methods and allows the calibration to be carried out using aqueous calibration solutions.

The influence of essential nutrients such as calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn) on male fertility has been extensively studied. For reproductive health, adequate spermatogenesis, sperm maturation and motility, as well as optimal sperm function, these essential elements are required. Several pathologic and male infertility disorders have been linked to an imbalance of these elements.The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between essential and toxic elements, such as Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg Se, and Zn, as well as cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg) in human biological samples, such as blood, serum, and seminal plasma, from 96 referent male adults aged 21 to 49 years, who were further divided into three age groups. The biological samples of Eunuch people (n = 37), ranging in age from 21 to 42 years, were also analysed for comparison. The method of acid digestion was controlled by a microwave oven. The essential and toxic elements in the oxidised biological samples were determined using atomic absorption spectrometry. Certified reference material of blood and serum was being used to validate the methodology's accuracy.The Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Se, and Zn concentrations in blood and serum samples of Eunuch people were found to be lower, whereas Cd, Pb, and Hg levels were significantly higher than those found in data from normal adult male subjects (p 0.001). The results reveal that the concentrations of Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Se, and Zn in the seminal plasma of adult male participants in the younger age group (21-29) were higher than those in the older age groups (30-39) and (40-49). Although essential trace element levels in Eunuch people's biological samples were significantly lower than those observed in adult male subjects.Essential elemental deficiency and elevated levels of toxic heavy metals in all biological fluid samples may have significant negative effects on human reproductive health (sperm quality and function), leading to male infertility.

Multiple comorbidities related to arsenic exposure through drinking water continue to be public problems worldwide, principally in chronically exposed populations, such as those in the Comarca Lagunera (CL), Mexico. In addition, this relationship could be exacerbated by an early life exposure through the placenta and later through breast milk. This study conducted a comparative analysis of arsenic levels in multiple biological samples from pregnant women and their neonates in the CL and the comparison region, Saltillo. Total arsenic levels in placenta, breast milk, blood, and urine were measured in pregnant women and their neonates from rural areas of seven municipalities of the CL using atomic absorption spectrophotometry with hydride generation methodology. The average concentrations of tAs in drinking water were 47.7 µg/L and 0.05 µg/L in the exposed and non-exposed areas, respectively. Mean levels of tAs were 7.80 µg/kg, 77.04 µg/g-Cr, and 4.30 µg/L in placenta, blood, urine, and breast milk, respectively, in mothers, and 107.92 µg/g-Cr in neonates in the exposed group, which were significantly higher than those in the non-exposed area. High levels of urinary arsenic in neonates were maintained 4 days after birth, demonstrating an early arsenic exposure route through the placenta and breast milk. In addition, our study suggested that breastfeeding may reduce arsenic exposure in infants in arsenic-contaminated areas. Further studies are necessary to follow up on comorbidities later in life in neonates and to provide interventions in this region.

The current non-chromatographic speciation methods generally involve the conversion of different species by oxidation/reduction reactions, which may cause inherent problems such as contamination risk, time consumption and complex operations. In this work, in-syringe solid phase extraction (IS-SPE) was combined with in-syringe vortex-assisted solidified floating organic drop microextraction (IS-VA-SFODME) for the detection of Sb(V) and Sb(III) in rice wines by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Firstly, IS-SPE involved the use of ZnFe

Lead (Pb) is a toxic heavy metal and is commonly used in industrial applications. Thus, Pb poisoning is a concerning public health issue worldwide. The amounts of lead in natural water, urine, and blood can serve as significant indicators for monitoring the exposure of Pb poisoning. Waste toner has the characteristics of both "waste" and "resource," as it is a "resource in the wrong place." Here, a low-cost carboxylate-functionalized magnetic adsorbent was first synthesized from waste toner by a simple thermal treatment and served as a novel adsorbent with a flexible multidentate O-donor for pre-concentration of trace Pb. The characterization, adsorption behavior, and various factors of adsorption and desorption were adequately optimized, and prior to graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) detection, a new magnetic solid-phase extraction method was proposed for the analysis of Pb in real environmental water and biological samples. The developed method exhibited a low detection limit (0.003 μg L

As the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic persists, methods that can quickly and reliably confirm infection and immune status is extremely urgently and critically needed. In this contribution we show that combining laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) with machine learning can distinguish plasma of donors who previously tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR from those who did not, with up to 95% accuracy. The samples were also analyzed by LIBS-ICP-MS in tandem mode, implicating a depletion of Zn and Ba in samples of SARS-CoV-2 positive subjects that inversely correlate with CN lines in the LIBS spectra.

Simple and inexpensive custom-made CVG and DBD devices were developed and applied to demonstrate methylmercury adsorption on particulate matter.

In this paper we present the determination of ultratraces of cadmium ions in water by means of a minicolumn (MC) flow-through preconcentration system coupled with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The core of the system is a lab-made ion imprinted magnetic organosilica nanocomposite which is employed as filler of the MC for the selective retention of the analyte. In this case superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles were coated with an amine-functionalized shell and ion imprinted with Cd(II) by a simple sol-gel co-condensation method. The setup was completed with the inclusion of a magnet fixed around the packed MC. This assembly - which is studied with an MII material for the first time here - allowed a homogeneous distribution of the solid on the walls of the MC, leaving a hole in the center and enabling the absence of material bleeding or obstructions to the free movement of fluids. Ion imprinted (MII) and non-imprinted (MNI) materials were studied for comparison purposes. Both were characterized and compared by DRX, FTIR, and SEM and their magnetic behavior by magnetization curves. Batch experiments showed an equilibration time of less than 10 minutes and a maximum adsorption pH of around 7 for both solids. The maximum capacity for MII was greater than that of MNI (200 mg g

A new efficient magnetic solid-phase extractant based on a surface-modified magnetic mesoporous silica microsphere referred as MMSM-PEI was synthesised and used for the enrichment and isolation of copper ions (Cu

© 2022 Elsevier LtdIn the presented work, a coprecipitation method was developed for separation–preconcentration, and determination of trace quantities of propineb in vegetable samples. Propineb was coprecipitated by using Al(OH)3. The zinc contents in complex structure of propineb was determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The propineb concentration was calculated by using stoichiometric relationship between the zinc and propineb. Several parameters including the amount of aluminum(III) as carrier element and hydroxide concentration and sample volume were examined. The effects of matrix ions were also investigated. The preconcentration factor was calculated as 15. The limit of detection (LOD) value for propineb was calculated as 15.2 μg L-1. The presented coprecipitation procedure was successfully applied to determination of propineb in vegetable samples.

Introduction: Lead is naturally available toxic heavy metal which is one of the main causes of environmental pollution and produces detrimental effects on health, particularly young children. Lead toxicity has become an emerging global burden of disease varying with the age, socio-economic status, occupation, industrialization, social customs and behaviours. The objective of this study was to find out the baseline blood lead level among children between 8-18 years. Methods: A descriptive study was conducted in Gokarneshwor Municipality, Kathmandu with a total of 160 children between 8-18 years of age from 2018 to 2019 after taking ethical approval from Research and Institutional Review Committee (Reference number: 17-074/075). Informed written consent was taken from the principal along with their respective parents and semi structured questionnaires were asked to students. Sample size was calculated and simple random sampling was done. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science version 16. Point estimate at 95% Confidence Interval was calculated along with frequency and descriptive statistics. Results: The mean blood lead level of the children was 4.39±7.35 µg/dl. Mean hemoglobin being 12.63g/dl; out of 160 children 30 (18.75%) children had blood lead levels. Children with elevated blood lead level had mean haemoglobin level within normal range (13.05gm/dl), however out of 30 children, 8 (27%) had haemoglobin level below normal. Conclusions: Lead exposure in the children of urban area of Nepal is considerably high as compared to similar studies coducted in similar settings.

The therapeutic dose of lithium (Li) compounds, which are widely used for the treatment of psychiatric and hematologic disorders, is close to its toxic level; therefore, drug monitoring protocols are mandatory. Herein, we propose a fast, simple, and low-cost analytical procedure for the traceable determination of Li concentration in human serum, based on the monitoring of the Li isotope dilution through the partially resolved isotope shift in its electronic transition around 670.80 nm using a commercially available high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer. With this technique, serum samples only require acidic digestion before analysis. The procedure requires three measurements—an enriched 6Li spike, a mixture of a certified standard solution and spike, and a mixture of the sample and spike with a nominal 7Li/6Li ratio of 0.82. Lanthanum has been used as an internal spectral standard for wavelength correction. The spectra are described as the linear superposition of the contributions of the respective isotopes, each consisting of a spin-orbit doublet, which can be expressed as Gaussian components with constant spectral position and width and different relative intensity, reflecting the isotope ratio in the sample. Both the spectral constants and the correlation between isotope ratio and relative band intensity have been experimentally obtained using commercially available materials enriched with Li isotopes. The Li characteristic mass (mc) obtained corresponds to 0.6 pg. The procedure has been validated using five human serum certified reference materials. The results are metrologically comparable and compatible to the certified values. The measurement uncertainties are comparable to those obtained by the more complex and expensive technique, isotope dilution mass spectrometry. Graphical abstract

In this work, a rapid detection method using solid sampling electrothermal vaporization atomic absorption spectrometry (SS-ETV-AAS) was established for cadmium in chocolate. The instrumental system includes a solid sampling ETV unit, a catalytic pyrolysis furnace, an AAS detector, and a gas supply system with only an air pump and a hydrogen generator. Herein, MgO material with 1.0–1.5 mm particle size was first employed to replace the kaolin filler previously used to further shorten the peak width and to thereby improve the sensitivity. With 350 mL/min of air, a chocolate sample was heated for 25 s from 435 to 464 °C to remove water and organic matrices; then, after supplying 240 mL/min hydrogen and turning down air to 120 mL/min, a N2/H2 mixture gas was formed to accelerate Cd vaporization from chocolate residue under 465 to 765 °C. Under the optimized conditions, the detection limit (LOD) was obviously lowered to 70 pg/g (vs. previous 150 pg/g) with R2 > 0.999; the relative standard deviations (RSD) of repeated measurements for real chocolate samples ranged from 1.5% to 6.4%, indicating a favorable precision; and the Cd recoveries were in the range of 93–107%, proving a satisfied accuracy. Thus, the total analysis time is less than 3 min without the sample digestion process. Thereafter, 78 chocolate samples with different brands from 9 producing countries in China market were collected and measured by this proposed method. Based on the measured Cd concentrations, a dietary exposure assessment was performed for Chinese residents, and the target hazard quotient (THQ) values are all less than 1, proving no significant health risk from intaking chocolate cadmium for Chinese residents.

A miniaturized atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS) was proposed with a planar dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) microplasma as an atomizer, a charge coupled device (CCD) spectrometer as a spectral detector, and a hydride generation (HG) unit as a sampler, and the potential analytical capability was evaluated through the determination of cadmium. Auxiliary hydrogen was added to enhance the atomic absorption signals and the potential mechanism of enhancement effect was studied by use of various techniques. The HG-DBD-AAS was further applied to the determination of Cd, yielding a 1.7-fold enhancement in AAS response with added hydrogen and a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.3 μg L

A method based on flow injection hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (FI-HGAAS) with an on-line pre-reduction of Se(VI) to Se(IV) was developed and optimized to determine phosphate-extractable Se (0.1 M phosphate buffer KH

This work proposes an automated strategy for the inorganic selenium speciation in infusion tea samples, employing an MSFIA-CVG-AFS system and sodium tetrahydroborate for chemical vapor generation. The selenium total is determined after an online prereduction step of selenium (VI) to selenium (IV) in alkaline media, using a UV reactor with a 15 W Hg lamp. Selenium (IV) is quantified directly on the sample, and selenium (VI) is determined by the difference between the total selenium and selenium (IV) concentrations. The optimization of the chemical parameters: hydrochloric acid - hydrobromide acid solution concentration, potassium iodide concentration, sodium hydroxide concentration, and sodium tetrahydroborate concentration was performed using a (2

In this work, a novel method of solid sample pretreatment technique of bismuth fire assay (Bi-FA) combined with solid sample determination by laser ablation ICP-MS (LA-ICP-MS) was reported for the determination of ultra-trace Pt and Pd in geochemical samples. Bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) was used as fire assay collector to directly enrich Pt and Pd from solid samples, and Ag protection cupellation was employed to generate Ag granules. After cleaning, weighing and annealing, the Ag granules were compressed into thin slices and determined by LA-ICP-MS for 195Pt, 105Pd and 109Ag (109Ag was selected as the internal standard isotope). Bi2O3 provided exceptionally low blanks compared to nickel oxide and lead oxide commonly employed in fire assay procedures, and could be applied directly without purification. Different from traditional empirical coefficient method, the Chinese Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) for Pt and Pd were treated by the same procedure to obtain completely matrix matched Ag slices. And then modified empirical coefficient method and internal standard calibration strategy was used to reduce the instability of LA-ICP-MS, and random multipoint laser ablation was employed to further reduce analytical variation resulting from heterogeneity of Pt and Pd in the Ag slice. Under optimal conditions, excellent calibration curves for Pt and Pd were obtained (0.407–2958 μg g−1 and 0.407–2636 μg g−1, respectively), with correlation coefficients exceeding 0.9996. The method detection limits for Pt and Pd were 0.074 and 0.037 ng g−1, respectively. The established method was applied successfully to analysis of real geochemical samples, with determined values in good agreement with the results of traditional Pb-FA graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF-AAS), and spiked recoveries between 87.8 and 125.0%.

A method for indirect determination of bisphenol A (BPA), as a Mn(iii)-chelate complex, in milk samples by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) was developed. The method was based on cloud point extraction with ultrasound assistance (UA-CPE). In the pre-concentration step by UA-CPE, the ternary complex selectively formed between BPA and Mn(iii)-oxalate at pH 5.0 was extracted into the mixed micellar phase of ionic and nonionic surfactants, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTABr) and polyethylene glycol tert-octylphenyl ether (Triton X-114) as a sensitivity enhancer and extractant. After phase separation by centrifugation, the separated extract was diluted with acidic methanol and analyzed by FAAS. The reproducibility of the signal in the detection step especially at low concentrations was greatly improved by the use of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a stabilizer. Using indirect Mn-responses by FAAS, the main variables affecting the extraction efficiency were evaluated and optimized. Under optimized conditions, the calibration graph was highly linear in the range of 0.8-130 mu g L-1 with limits of detection and quantification of 0.23 and 0.76 mu g L-1, intra- and inter-day precisions in the range of 2.8-5.2% and 3.8-7.2%, and recovery in the range of 94.2-98.5% (10, 25, 100 mu g L-1, n: 5 and 3 x 5). From pre-concentration of a 35 mL sample by UA-CPE, the pre-concentration factor was found to be 70 with a 41-fold sensitivity improvement. The matrix effect was greatly reduced by deproteinization with trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and 20-fold dilution of milk samples before analysis. The method accuracy was checked by analysis of trace BPA in milk samples via a calibration curve in solvent and a matrix-matched calibration curve prepared from sample extracts. The results were in the range of 2.1-7.3 mu g L-1 and 2.0-7.0 mu g L-1 without any matrix effect. According to the Student's t-test, there is not a statistically significant difference between the results found by using the two calibration curves. Finally, it can be concluded that the method is suitable for detecting BPA in milk based products at concentrations far below the specific migration limit (SML) of 600 mu g L-1.

Heavy metals often are used in different textile processes, like dyeing and printing. When the toxic elements are present in more than recommended in textile materials they may impose potential risk to human health by absorption through the skin. In this study concentrations of some heavy metals (Co, Cu, Cr, Cd, and Pb) were analyzed in skin contact fading T-shirts printed for a special program at Mettu town using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy with a microwave digestion method technique for sample preparation. High levels of Cu were found in black, green, blue, and red-colored T-shirts ranging from 26.726–179.315mg/kg. Cr exceeded the recommended limits in most samples of T-shirts and was mostly in yellow, black, and blue colors. Cd levels were found to be within normal ranges. However, all T-shirt samples had low levels of cobalt, ranging from 1.33±2.13 to3.94±0.21. Maximum lead concentrations were found to be 3.40 ± 0.19 mg/kg for red-colored samples and 2.71 ± 0.13 mg/kg for blue colored samples. The metal concentrations in the T-shirts investigated were also compared to the OEKO Tex standard 100 limits. In this investigation, the concentrations of Pb, Cu, and Cr in red and green colored T-shirt samples were above the OEKO Tex suggested standard value. Therefore a strict local and international regulation and measures need to be taken to avoid toxicity of the studied metals.

INTRODUCTION: In this study, we aimed at quantifying placental concentrations of 22 chemical elements in small fetuses (SGA) as compared with normally grown fetuses (AGA), and to assess the relationship with Doppler markers of placental function. METHODS: Prospective cohort study, including 71 SGA fetuses (estimated fetal weight 10th percentile), recruited in the third trimester of gestation. The placental concentration of 22 chemical elements was determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrophotometer (ICP-OES, ICAP 6500 Duo Thermo): aluminum (Al), beryllium (Be), bismuth (Bi), calcium (Ca), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chrome (Cr), copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), phosphorus (P), lead (Pb), rubidium (Rb), sulfur (S), strontium (Sr), titanium (Ti), thallium (Tl), antimony (Sb), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn). Placental function was assessed by measuring the following fetal-maternal parameters: Uterine artery Pulsatility Index (UtA PI), Umbilical artery Pulsatility Index (UA PI) and Middle Cerebral artery Pulsatility Index (MCA PI). The association between the chemical elements concentration and study group and the association with Doppler measures were evaluated. RESULTS: SGA was associated with significantly (p

In this work, magnetic dispersive micro-solid phase extraction (MDMSPE) coupled with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) was developed for Se(IV) and Se(VI) followed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. MDMSPE involved the use of magnetic ZnFe

INTRODUCTION Interactions occur between concentrations of metals in the human body and the environment in various geographic locations, which can be of importance for both the proper development and the course of pregnancy. OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to assess the concentrations of Zn, Cu and Cd and Zn:Cu and Zn:Cd molar ratios in the placenta, umbilical cord and in the foetal membrane, and to examine the relationship between concentrations of these elements and the place of residence. MATERIAL AND METHODS The research material was obtained from 99 healthy women from north-western and central Poland. Data for the study were collected from the medical history and documents of admission to the ward and documents confirming the birth of the newborn. Concentrations of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) were determined using the ICP-AES method (spectrophotometry of atomic absorption) in inductively coupled argon plasma. RESULTS The average concentration of Zn, Cu and Cd in afterbirths was ~ 0.01 mg/kg of dry weight (dw). In central Poland, the results revealed a significant increase in zinc in the membrane (OR=1.098, p=0.002), cadmium in the placenta (OR=1.324, p=0.006), Zn:Cu in the membrane (OR=1.012, p

Breast cancer is the most familiar solid tumor analyzed in women. Trace elements have critical roles in cancer biology. In this research, the relationship between carcinogenic element, cadmium (Cd), and anti-carcinogenic elements, zinc (Zn), in the scalp hair and blood samples of four stages of female breast cancer patients was studied. We have determined the essential trace (Zn) and toxic (Cd) elements, in biological samples (scalp hair and blood) of female breast cancer (n = 96 age ranging 22–35 years), residents of various cities of Pakistan. For comparative study, the biological samples of age-matched healthy (referent) subjects (n = 115) were also analyzed for selected metals. The validity and accuracy of the methodology were checked by using certified reference materials of biological referent materials (human hair (BCR 397) and ClinCheck lyophilized blood). The mean concentrations of Cd were found to be 3- to fourfold significantly higher in the scalp hair and blood samples of female breast patients as compared to referents, while reverse results were obtained in the case of Zn (p > 0.001). The observed data shows the significant effect of carcinogenic (Cd) and their balance towards the anti-carcinogenic (Zn) in humans.

In this study, Fe and Zn contents in the muscle of different fish species (Engraulis encrasicolus, Trachurus trachurus, Mullus barbatus, Mugil cephalus, Pomatomus saltatrix, Dicentrarchus labrax, Scomber scombrus, Sparus aurata) were determined using flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The highest Fe and Zn contents among studied fish species were found in Engraulis encrasicolus (7.13 ± 0.19 mg/kg) and Sparus aurata (11.00 ± 0.28 mg/kg). The lowest Fe and Zn contents were determined in Dicentrarchus labrax (3.12 ± 0.09 mg/kg) and Pomatomus saltatrix (5.50 ± 0.05 mg/kg). Moreover, the results were evaluated considering the estimated daily intakes (EDI) of these elements for adults. The estimated daily intakes were varied from 0.0101 to 0.0231 mg/kg bw/day for Fe and 0.0178 to 0.0357 mg/kg bw/day for Zn in fish species. In addition, the hazard quotient (HQ) and the hazard index (HI) values were calculated for risk assessment, and it was determined that these values were below 1 for fish species.

Objectives This review aims to describe the principles underlying different types of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and major technical advancements that reduce spectral interferences, as well as their suitability and wide applications in clinical laboratories. Methods A literature survey was performed to review the technical aspects of ICP-MS, ICP-MS/MS, high-resolution ICP-MS, and their applications in disease diagnosis and monitoring. Results Compared to the atomic absorption spectrometry and ICP-optical emission spectrometry, ICP-MS has advantages including improved precision, sensitivity and accuracy, wide linear dynamic range, multielement measurement capability, and ability to perform isotopic analysis. Technical advancements, such as collision/reaction cells, triple quadrupole ICP-MS, and sector-field ICP-MS, have been introduced to improve resolving power and reduce interferences. Cases are discussed that highlight the clinical applications of ICP-MS including determination of toxic elements, quantification of nutritional elements, monitoring elemental deficiency in metabolic disease, and multielement analysis. Conclusions This review provides insight on the strategies of elemental analysis in clinical laboratories and demonstrates current and emerging clinical applications of ICP-MS.

Selected trace metals of importance in different incense before and after the smoldering process were assessed based on the recent respiratory ailments. Marketed perfumed and non-perfumed incense from different countries was separately analyzed using an Inductive coupled Plasma-Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS). A particulate analyzer measured the dispersed particulates (PM2.5) in the indoor environment. The analysis revealed higher mean metals concentrations in the smoldered perfumed incense (1.98 µg g−1) than in the non-smoldered and non-perfumed incense (0.59 µg g−1). Pilot-scale experiments included the smoke dispersed in different sized-rooms, and the distance between the inhaler and the smoldering incense. Simultaneously, a questionnaire distributed to 300 residents from six sampling areas revealed the exposure of incense to human health. This study indicated significant attributes on (a) the room size and incense volume, (b) the permissible inmate’s number in a room, (c) the distance between the inmate vicinity and the point of smoldering incense, (d) selectivity of incense, besides the outdoor environmental influence. Furthermore, this study revealed the various categories of respiratory ailments in residents in relation to the frequency of burning incense, prolonged smoke exposure, and the impact of burners although, earlier beneficial effects of incenses were evidenced. This study recommends preventive measures to human respiratory ailments from smoldering incense.

The clinical efficacy of Oxaliplatin (L-OHP) is potentially limited by dose-dependent neurotoxicity and high partitioning to erythrocytes in vivo. Long-circulating liposomes could improve the pharmacokinetic profile of L-OHP and thus enhance its therapeutic efficacy and reduce its toxicity. The purpose of this study was to prepare L-OHP long-circulating liposomes (L-OHP PEG lip) by reverse-phase evaporation method (REV) and investigate their pharmacokinetic behavior based on total platinum in rat plasma using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). A simple and a sensitive AAS method was developed and validated to determine the total platinum originated from L-OHP liposomes in plasma. Furthermore, long-circulating liposomes were fully characterized in vitro and showed great stability when stored at 4°C for one month. The results showed that the total platinum in plasma of L-OHP long-circulating liposomes displayed a biexponential pharmacokinetic profile with five folds higher bioavailability and longer distribution half-life compared to L-OHP solution. Thus, long-circulating liposomes prolonged L-OHP circulation time and may present a potential candidate for its tumor delivery. Conclusively, the developed AAS method could serve as a reference to investigate the pharmacokinetic behavior of total platinum in biological matrices for other L-OHP delivery systems.

Although the close relationships between most of the trace elements and tumor formation mechanisms are very well-defined, studies on some elements such as zinc are still ongoing. When examining studies on brain tumors, it was observed that studies investigating the role played by serum zinc levels on tumor etiology and prognosis have gained momentum. In this study, we investigate the relationship between different brain tumor types and serum zinc levels by quantitatively analyzing serum zinc levels in patients with primary brain tumors. In this study, we measured serum zinc levels of 33 brain tumor patients as well as 35 healthy individuals serving as a control group. Metal concentrations were measured using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Serum zinc levels were lower in patients with primary brain tumors compared to control group (p < 0.05). Additionally, patients' serum zinc levels were significantly different according to their brain tumor types and also according to their age (p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that brain tumor patients' serum zinc levels may play a role in tumor etiology, typology, and prognosis.

Information on the content of medicinal plants used in the treatment of diabetes is scarce in the literature. The objectives of this study were to determine the levels of macroelements and microelements in three different medicinal plant species including the dry samples and teas from Bauhinia forficata, Eleusine Indica, and Orthosiphon stamineus and assess the human health risks of ingestion of the tea. The content of the dry samples and teas was obtained using the technique of inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) after microwave digestion procedure. The hazard quotient (HQ) method was used to access the human health risks posed by heavy metal through tea consumption. The results revealed the presence of K, Mg, Na, P, Al, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Ni, and Se in dry samples and plant teas. The dry plants have high concentration of K and P. All dry plants contain Mg, Na, Al, Fe, Mn, Ni, Zn, and Cu above the limit permissible level set by the World Health Organization (WHO). All the hazard index (HI) values in plant teas were found to be within safe limits for human consumption ( HI < 1 ). The plants may have possible action benefits when used in popular medicine. However, the ingestion through capsules prepared by enclosing a plant powder or teas can be harmful to the health of diabetics. The prescription of this plant for the treatment of diabetes should be treated with caution.

Maximizing vital bone in a grafted site is dependent on a number of factors. These include resorption or turnover of the graft material, stimulation of bone formation pathway without a need for biological molecules added to the site and inhibition of cellular activities that compromise the mineralization of new bone matrix. In the present study, the dissolution profile of silica-calcium phosphate composite (SCPC) in physiological solution was measured and the data were fed to (ANN-NARX) prediction model to predict the time required for complete dissolution. The inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometer ionic composition analysis of the culture medium incubated for 3 days with SCPC showed 57% decrease in Ca concentration and a significant increase in the concentration of Si (13.5 ± 1.8 μg/ml), P (249.4 ± 22 μg/ml), and Na (9.3 ± 0.52 μg/ml). In conjunction with the release of Si, P, and Na ions, the bone resorptive activity of osteoclasts was inhibited as indicated by the significant decrease in multinucleated tartrate resistant acidic phosphate stained cells and the volume of resorption pits on bone slices. In contrast, addition of SCPC to hBMSC cultured in conventional medium promoted higher Runt-related transcription factor 2 (p < .05), osteocalcin (p < .01), and bone sialo protein (p < .01) than that expressed by control cells grown in the absence of SCPC. The predicted dissolution time of 200 mg of porous SCPC particles in 10 ml phosphate buffered saline is 6.9 months. An important byproduct of the dissolution is inhibition of osteoclastic activity and promotion of osteoblastic differentiation and hence bone formation.

Sample pre-treatment plays an important role in sample analysis, which directly affects the accuracy and reliability of the results. In this work we studied the influence of three common sample pre-treatment methods (direct injection, microwave digestion and wet digestion) on the determination of lead (Pb) content of Chinese health-care wines by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). Six different brands of Chinese health wines were selected for the research. After each Chinese health-care wine was digested by three digestion methods, GFAAS was used to detect the Pb content of the samples. For the selected six different health-care wines, the results showed that the Pb content obtained by GFAAS with different pre-treatment methods were different. Microwave digestion had the best recovery, and was proposed to be applied to the pre-treatment of many kinds of health-care wines, while the direct injection method might be suitable only for health-care wine with lesser amounts of ingredients such as sugar. In the practical work, due to the complexity of the base composition of Chinese health-care wines, currently there is no relevant standard analysis method for the pre-treatment of Chinese health wines. According to the accuracies of the three chosen common pre-treatment methods, it was proposed that microwave digestion might be more suitable as a standard digestion method for the determination of Pb in Chinese health-care wines. This work could provide theoretical support for the further establishment of a standard analytical method for the determination of lead and other (heavy) metal elements in Chinese health wines by GFAAS and other methods.

Objectives Metals including lead (Pb), aluminum (Al), and zinc (Zn) are widely used in factories such as welding, handicrafts, and paint. Occupational exposure to such metals causes a wide range of biological effects, depending upon the metal levels and duration of exposure. Accumulation of these metals may lead to several adverse health effects such as neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. The study aimed to evaluate Pb, Al, and Zn levels in occupationally exposed workers of North-Western India and create awareness about its toxicity and adverse outcomes. Methods The study included 120 factory workers (exposed) and 100 healthy controls (nonexposed); age ranged 18–78 years. Blood Pb and serum Al was estimated by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry and serum Zn was estimated by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry (ICE 3000, Thermo Fisher Scientific). Results Results indicated significantly higher levels of Pb, Al, and Zn in the exposed than the nonexposed. No significant difference was observed in metal levels, based on age and duration of exposure. Painters showed higher blood Pb, whereas welders were found to have higher serum Al and Zn levels. Conclusions To conclude, workers showed higher levels of metals and it may cause deleterious effects on the health of workers occupationally exposed to these metals. Appropriate maintenance regarding worker’s safety and hygiene is required to protect them from the harmful effects of these toxic metals.