Drug Metabolism | Measurement of Metals in Blood Serum

Measurement of Metals in Blood Serum

Lithium compounds are used to treat psychiatric illnesses. However, ingesting too much can lead to side-effects, so it is important to control the dose by monitoring the lithium concentration in blood serum.

Lithium in human blood serum (NIST 909b Human Serum Level 1 and 2) was analyzed using flame AA. The calibration curve method was used.
A 1 mL sample in a test tube was spiked with 1 mL 1 % aqueous solution of Cs and 1 mL hydrochloric acid (1+10). Purified water was added to this solution to create a 10 mL analysis sample. The number of measurements was set to one.

Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer

A sample solution is sprayed by a nebulizer into a burner where it is heated and atomized. Hollow cathode lamps generate light at wavelengths inherent to the measured elements. This light is absorbed by the corresponding atoms. The instrument measures the absorption of this light to quantify the target elements.