• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.240-245
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• 1997

An accurate analysis method for the determination of lead in whole blood by ICP/MS was developed. Whole blood samples were decomposed in microwave digestion system without any contamination and loss of lead. The 96 samples were analyzed by ICP/MS using mass$^{208}$ isotope of lead. Lead concentrations of human whole blood were ranged of $2.50{\sim}22.8{\mu}g/dL$. The accuracy of this analysis method was verified by analyzing of NIST SRM 955a series(lead in blood).

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.258-266
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• 2019

Objectives: In this study, blood lead was analyzed using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF-AAs) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). We tried to examine the difference and consistency of the analytical values and the applicability of the analytical method. Methods: We selected 57 people who agreed to participate in this study. After confirming the linearity of the calibration standard curves in GF-AAs and ICP-MS, the concentrations of lead in quality control material and samples were measured, and the degree of agreement was compared. Results: The detection limit of the ICP-MS was lower than that of GF-AAs. The coefficient of variation of reference materials was shown to be stable in the ICP-MS and GF-AAs. When the correspondence between the two equipments was verified by bias of the analysis values, a concordance was shown, and approximately 98% of the ideal reference lines were present within ${\pm}40%$ of the deflection. Conclusion: GF-AAs showed high sensitivity to single heavy metal analysis, but it took much time and showed higher detection limit than ICP-MS. Therefore, it would be considered necessary to switch to ICP-MS analysis method, considering that the level of lead exposure is gradually decreasing.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.64-77
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• 2021

Objective: Biological monitoring of trace elements in human blood samples has become an important indicator of the health environment. The purpose of this study was to detect and evaluate multiple metal items in blood samples based on ICP-MS, to perform comparative evaluation with the existing analysis method, and to develop and verify a new method. Methods: 100 μL of whole blood from 80 healthy subjects was used to analyze ten metals (Sb, tAs, Cd, Pb, Mn, Hg, Mo, Ni, Se, Tl) using ICP-MS. Verification of the analysis method included calculation of linearity, accuracy, precision and detection limits. In addition, a comparative test with the conventional graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GF-AAS) method was performed. In the case of Pb, Cd, and Hg in whole blood, cross-analysis between Pb, Cd, and Hg analysis methods was performed to confirm the difference between the existing method and the new method (ICP-MS). Results: The coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.999 or higher in seven items and 0.995 or higher in three items. The Pb result showed that Pearson's correlation coefficient was very high at 0.983, and the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.966. The Cd result showed that Pearson's correlation coefficient was 0.917 between the existing method and the new analysis concentration value. Its intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.960, and there was no significant difference between the two groups. Hg had a low correlation at 0.687, and the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.761, which was lower than that of Pb and Cd. The intra-day and inter-day accuracy of Pd and Cd were satisfactory, but Hg did not meet the criteria for both accuracy and precision when compared with the conventional analysis method. Conclusion: This study can be meaningful in that it proposes a more efficient and feasible analysis method by verifying a blood heavy metal concentration experiment using multiple simultaneous analyses. All samples were processed and analyzed using the new ICP-MS. It was confirmed that the agreement between the two methods was very high, with the agreement between the current and new methods being 0.769 to 0.998. This study proposes an efficient simultaneous methodology capable of analyzing multiple elements with small samples. In the future, studies of various applications and the reliability of ICP-MS analysis methods are required, and research on the verification of accurate, precise, and continuous analysis methods is required.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.491-501
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• 2018

Objectives: The aims of this study were to compare concentrations and the correspondence of human blood cadmium by using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF-AAS) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), which are representative methods of heavy metal analysis. Methods: We randomly selected 79 people who agreed to participate in the research project. After confirming the linearity of the calibration curves for GF-AAS and ICP-MS, the concentrations of cadmium in a quality control standard material and blood samples were measured, and the correlation and the degree of agreement were compared. Results: The detection limit of ICP-MS (IDL: $0.000{\mu}g/L$, MDL: $0.06{\mu}g/L$) was lower than that of GF-AAS (IDL: $0.085{\mu}g/L$, MDL: $0.327{\mu}g/L$). The coefficient of variation of the quality control standard material showed stable values for both ICP-MS (clinchek-1: 5.35%, clinchek-2: 6.22%) and GF-AAS (clinchek-1: 7.92%, clinchek-2: 5.22%). Recovery was relatively high for both ICP-MS (clinchek-1: 95.1%, clinchek-2: 92.8%) and GF-AAS (clinchek-1: 91.4%, clinchek-2: 98.8%), with more than 90%. The geometric mean, median, and percentile of blood samples were all similar. The agreement of the two instruments compared with the bias of the analytical values found that about 81% of the analytical values were within ${\pm}30%$ of the deviation from the ideal reference line (y=0). As a result of the agreement limit, the value included in the confidence interval was about 94%, which shows high agreement. Conclusion: In this study, we confirmed there was no significant difference in concentrations of a quality control standard material and blood samples. Since ICP-MS showed lower concentrations than GF-AAS at concentrations below the method detection limit of GF-AAS, it is expected that more precise results will be obtained by analyzing blood cadmium with ICP-MS.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.65-74
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• 2013

Objectives: This study attempted to develop a method to measure ultra-trace lead concentrations in plasma using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry(ICP-MS) and to test whether plasma lead can be used as a biomarker for the biological monitoring of exposure to lead. Methods: Lead concentrations in 160 plasma samples of field workers and 42 plasma samples from the control group were measured by ICP-MS. Blood zinc protophorphyrin(ZPP) concentrations and urinary ${\delta}$-aminolevulinic acid${\delta}-ALA$) were measured for correlation analysis with plasma lead. Results: The mean lead level in the plasma of the workers exposed to lead at work were 786.1 ng/L. Plasma lead levels were not correlated with blood ZPP or urinary ${\delta}-ALA$ concentrations. Otherwise, plasma lead levels showed a good correlation coefficient of 0.400 with blood lead levels, and their correlation coefficient had a better value of 0.552 for the non-smoking and drinking group. In the general population group which was not exposed to lead in the workplace and was considered the control group, the mean concentration of plasma lead was 123.1 ng/L. The plasma lead levels for the general population group showed a good correlation coefficient of 0.520 with blood ZPP and urinary ${\delta}-ALA$ concentrations.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.196-203
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• 2015

Selenium species (inorganic selenium, selenoaminoacids, and selenoproteins) were analyzed using anion exchange and affinity chromatography, which were connected to ICP/MS for the blood serum of sows fed by seleniumfortified feed. The Anion Exchange PRP X-100 column was used for the analysis of inorganic selenium (Se⁴⁺ and Se⁶⁺) and selenoaminoacids. The HEP column was used to separate SelP from GPx+SeAlb in selenoproteins. A quantitative analysis was performed using the post-column isotope dilution technique. The lactating sows were divided into three groups and fed by selenium fortified feed (organic 0.3 mg/kg, 0.6 mg/kg and inorganic 0.6 mg/kg) for four weeks. The test groups showed increases in selenoaminoacids compared with the control group, except the inorganic feed group. There was no significant difference between the organic feed groups. All test groups showed increases in selenoproteins. In particular, SelP showed a large increase that was 1.5 times higher than the other proteins.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.281-291
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• 1998

An analytical method for the simultaneous measurement of trace Cu, Sn, and Bi in blood and urine has been investigated by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Microwave oven was used for the pretreatment of blood samples using nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide in a closedvessel digestion system with 1 mL whole blood for 8 minutes. Amberlite IRC-718 resin was used as a solid phase in solid-liquid extraction technique for the removal of matrix interferences such as Na, S, P, and other polyatomic ion species. Detection limits for Cu, Sn, and Bi by this method were 0.000375 ng/mL, 0.000297 ng/mL, and 0.000174 ng/mL, respectively. Recoveries of 99.1% for Cu, 102.5% for Sn, and 98.4% for Bi were obtained for the standard spiked NIST SRM 955a blood sample. The developed method was applied for whole real blood and urine samples.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.113-119
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• 2007

Zn is an essential nutrient that is required in humans and animals for many physiological functions, including immune and antioxidant function, growth, and reproduction. The present study evaluated whether Zn deficiency would negatively affect bone-related enzyme, ALP, and other bone-related minerals (Ca, P and Mg) in rats. Thirty Sprague Dawley rats were assigned to one of the three different Zn dietary groups, such as Zn adequate (ZA, 35 mg/kg), pair fed (PF, 35 mg/kg), Zn deficient (ZD, 1 mg/kg) diet, and fed for 10 weeks. Food intake and body weight were measured daily and weekly, respectively. ALP was measured by spectrophotometry and mineral contents were measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass, spectrophotometer (ICP-MS). Zn deficient rats showed decreased food intake and body weight compared with Zn adequate rats (p<0.05). Zn deficiency reduced ALP activity in blood (RBC, plasma) and the tissues (liver, kidney and small intestine) (p<0.05). Also, Zn deficiency reduced mineral concentrations in rat tissues (Ca for muscle and liver, and Mg for muscle and liver) (p<0.05). The study results imply the requirement of proper Zn nurture for maintaining bone growth and formation.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.190-196
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• 2012

The human exposure of lead has usually detected the amount of lead in the whole blood, however, this method has a shortcoming to give the information on the short-term exposure to lead. In that sense, it is desirable to estimates the level of lead in plasma to draw the chronic bio-marker of lead exposure even though it is difficult to measure lead of several ng/L. An inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) method was developed for determining lead in plasma as the chronic bio-marker of lead of workers. To minimize the contamination of lead from the environment, we constructed class 1,000 clean room and compared the amount of floating dust before and after the operation of the clean room. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) of lead in fetal bovine serum were 4.3 ng/L and 12.2 ng/L by NIOSH method (statistical calculation method) and 7.0 ng/L and 22.1 ng/L by signal/noise ratio, respectively. The accuracy was in a range of 92.3-101.3%, and the precision of the assay was less than 4% in the samples spiked in the concentration of 20 ng/L and 2,000 ng/L. The method was simple, reproducible and sensitive enough to permit reliable analysis of lead to the ng/L level in plasma and/or serum. The method was also useful for the biological monitoring of chronic exposure to lead.