BOOSTing LOD’s for chromium and other elements in whole blood
Whole blood is a complex sample matrix with solid and liquid components and a relatively high carbon content deriving from the proteins and lipids in the blood. In some cases it is sufficient to determine the elemental concentration in the serum. However, some elements are partially located in the non-soluble blood fraction, the hematocrit, making the analysis of whole blood necessary. Due to its solid and liquid components the sample preparation of whole blood samples is difficult, as solid components must not precipitate. For this reason different procedures for sample preparation have been developed. Here, we present a robust method for obtaining a metallic profile of whole blood with concentrations ranging from ppt to ppm levels. Using the patented BOOST technology elements such as As, Se, Cr and V, which are typically difficult to measure in whole blood with ICP-MS, can be analyzed correctly with method limits of detection in the ng/L range.
