Direct determination of heavy metals in blood samples by GFAAS

INTRODUCTION

Determination of heavy metals in blood (and other biosamples) is a crucial task for many spheres including:

• clinical diagnostic;
• toxicology;
• forensic science;
• R&D in life science;
• occupational medicine in smelting, painting, electronic components manufacturing, and other industries.

The fundamental limitation for direct determination of heavy metals in blood samples by GFAAS is connected with chemical and spectral interferences, occurring at the atomization step. Both chemical and spectral interferences can be eliminated after sample digestion. However, any mineralization is time-consuming and increases running cost, as well as exposures samples to the contamination risk. A popular approach for chemical interferences elimination includes furnace temperature program optimization, use of matrix modifiers, and The Stabilized Temperature Platform Furnace (STPF) concept implementation. Zeeman High-Frequency Polarization Modulation (ZHFPM) background correction system of MGA-1000 allows measuring selective and nonselective absorbance with 50 kHz frequency, which provides no errors even in a case of rapidly changing signals, which is typical for complex matrix samples like whole blood.