Development of Analytical Capabilities to Measure Trace Metal Elements in Urine and Blood for Human Biomonitoring Using ICP-MS Technique.

Yamit Naor, National Public Health Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Tel Aviv, Israel (yamit.naor@phlta.health.gov.il)
Luda Groisman, National Public Health Laboratory, Ministry Of Health, Tel Aviv, Israel
Elena Rabinovich, National Public Health Laboratory, Ministry Of Health, Tel Aviv, Israel
Sonya Shuster, National Public Health Laboratory, Ministry Of Health, Tel Aviv, Israel
Efrat Rorman, National Public Health Laboratory, Ministry Of Health, Tel Aviv, Israel

Human Biomonitoring (HBM) is an important tool to support environment and health policymaking; it can provide information regarding the actual population exposure to environmental pollutants. HBM involves measurements of biomarkers (environmental chemicals and/or their metabolites) in human biological fluids or tissues. The available data show that exposures to toxic metals remain a serious public health problem. For this reason, metals are part of all worldwide HBM programs.

The National Public Health Laboratory has recently begun to implement HBM analytical capabilities, including the metals measurements in urine and whole blood.

Here, the in-house analytical methods developed for metals (Arsenic, Cadmium, Chromium, Lead, Mercury, Nickel, Selenium and Thallium) determination in urine and blood are presented.  They are based on scientific literature and Agilent Application Notes, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), Agilent 7800x ICP-MS with an Integrated Sample Introducing System (ISIS) and High Matrix Introducing mode (HMI).

The procedure involved acid dilution of urine, followed by "helium dilution" in HMI. Method development was focused on testing proper combination of urine dilution and "helium dilution" to choose best conditions to overcome matrix effect and to get sufficient limit of quantification. In comparison to urine, whole blood is a more complexed matrix therefore, we used and optimized matrix match diluent, containing mixture of different compounds (such as TRIS, Butanol, EDTA, salt etc.) and matrix match calibration. For both matrices Ge, Rh, Sc, Tb,Y were used as internal standards

The combination of ICP-MS with ISIS and HMI together with an appropriate dilution and relevant matrix matching resulted in a good quantification limits and excellent analytical accuracy as well as successful participation in international proficiency test.