For many years, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has been the tool of choice for the trace analysis of elements like lead (Pb), arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), and copper (Cu) in bodily fluids such as urine, blood, serum and saliva, as well as in tissues.

Blood and serum are two common biological fluids which present challenges for trace metal analysis. Blood is a complex mixture, composed mostly of water, but also contains proteins, glucose, mineral salts, hormones, as well as red and white blood cells. Serum is derived from blood and has a similar composition, although it does not contain red or white blood cells or fibrinogens.

This work demonstrates the ability of PerkinElmer’s NexION^® 5000 multi-quadrupole ICP-MS to perform reproducible analyses of blood samples with excellent stability over long sample run times, thanks to its winning combination of reaction and collision capabilities with triple quadrupole technology for spectral interference removal – this design allows for the accurate determination of low and high levels of analytes in a single analytical run.