A method for reliable quantification of mercury in occupational and environmental medical urine samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
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A method for reliable quantification of mercury in occupational and environmental medical urine samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. / Winter, Martin; Lessmann, Frederik; Harth, Volker.
In: ANAL METHODS-UK, Vol. 15, No. 16, 27.04.2023, p. 2030-2038.Research output: SCORING: Contribution to journal › SCORING: Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - A method for reliable quantification of mercury in occupational and environmental medical urine samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
AU - Winter, Martin
AU - Lessmann, Frederik
AU - Harth, Volker
PY - 2023/4/27
Y1 - 2023/4/27
N2 - Over the last years, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has been applied as a method for human-biomonitoring of metals in the concentration range of occupational and environmental medicine. In large scale routine monitoring, the determination of mercury (Hg) by ICP-MS remains challenging due to several reasons. Amongst others, stability of dissolved Hg and avoiding memory effects are the key facts for reliable quantification. To address these issues, we developed a robust approach for biomonitoring of mercury in human urine samples by ICP-MS. Using a solution containing HNO3, HCl and thiourea, prepared samples and calibrators were stabilized for up to 72 h. A rinse time of only 30 seconds efficiently prevented contamination of consecutive samples with Hg concentrations up to 30 μg L-1, hence significantly reducing acquisition times compared to published methods. Recovery experiments revealed iridium as an ideal internal standard to compensate matrix effects independently from creatinine concentration. Recoveries of 95.0-104.0% were obtained for Hg levels covering the range of biomonitoring guidance values established by the German Human-Biomonitoring Commission. Excellent intra-day precision and inter-day precision of ≤3.0% for two different Hg levels were achieved. The detection and quantification limit accounted for 21.7 ng L-1 and 65.6 ng L-1, respectively, enabling reliable quantification even in the range of environmental background exposures. Additionally, the method was externally validated by successful participation in the inter-laboratory comparison program G-EQUAS. With the developed method, we hence provide a sensitive and robust tool for mercury exposure assessments in future large scale human-biomonitoring studies.
AB - Over the last years, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has been applied as a method for human-biomonitoring of metals in the concentration range of occupational and environmental medicine. In large scale routine monitoring, the determination of mercury (Hg) by ICP-MS remains challenging due to several reasons. Amongst others, stability of dissolved Hg and avoiding memory effects are the key facts for reliable quantification. To address these issues, we developed a robust approach for biomonitoring of mercury in human urine samples by ICP-MS. Using a solution containing HNO3, HCl and thiourea, prepared samples and calibrators were stabilized for up to 72 h. A rinse time of only 30 seconds efficiently prevented contamination of consecutive samples with Hg concentrations up to 30 μg L-1, hence significantly reducing acquisition times compared to published methods. Recovery experiments revealed iridium as an ideal internal standard to compensate matrix effects independently from creatinine concentration. Recoveries of 95.0-104.0% were obtained for Hg levels covering the range of biomonitoring guidance values established by the German Human-Biomonitoring Commission. Excellent intra-day precision and inter-day precision of ≤3.0% for two different Hg levels were achieved. The detection and quantification limit accounted for 21.7 ng L-1 and 65.6 ng L-1, respectively, enabling reliable quantification even in the range of environmental background exposures. Additionally, the method was externally validated by successful participation in the inter-laboratory comparison program G-EQUAS. With the developed method, we hence provide a sensitive and robust tool for mercury exposure assessments in future large scale human-biomonitoring studies.
U2 - 10.1039/d2ay02051c
DO - 10.1039/d2ay02051c
M3 - SCORING: Journal article
C2 - 37060114
VL - 15
SP - 2030
EP - 2038
JO - ANAL METHODS-UK
JF - ANAL METHODS-UK
SN - 1759-9660
IS - 16
ER -