Biomaterial Database

Rapid solubilization of human body tissues and tissue fluids for microdetermination of heavy metals. 1979

S L Gaffin

We evaluated the suitability of a liquid pressure technique for decomposing and liquifying several different human tissues as a pretreatment for atomic absorption spectroscopy. Samples of lead, mercury, copper, zinc, cadmium, nickel, and/or chromium in the ppm concentration range were used to spike samples of human liver, intestine, muscle, lung, brain, and/or teeth. All human tissue samples decomposed completely in a 23-ml capacity Teflon-lined decomposition vessel under the following standard conditions: 0.2 g tissue, 2.5 ml nitric acid (64%), 135 degrees C for 2 hr. Recoveries of the various added heavy metals under the above standard conditions by atomic absorption spectroscopy were high, with errors averaged over all the samples of 29.2% for a concentration of 1 ppm, 8.4% for 5 ppm, and 5.7% for 20 ppm. Thus liquid pressure technique was found to be a simple, rapid, and reliable method for decomposing both hard and soft human tissues for trace metal determinations by atomic absorptions spectroscopy.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008670	Metals	Electropositive chemical elements characterized by ductility, malleability, luster, and conductance of heat and electricity. They can replace the hydrogen of an acid and form bases with hydroxyl radicals. (Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed)	Metal
D008722	Methods	A series of steps taken in order to conduct research.	Techniques,Methodological Studies,Methodological Study,Procedures,Studies, Methodological,Study, Methodological,Method,Procedure,Technique
D008832	Microchemistry	The development and use of techniques and equipment to study or perform chemical reactions, with small quantities of materials, frequently less than a milligram or a milliliter.
D001826	Body Fluids	Liquid components of living organisms.	Body Fluid,Fluid, Body,Fluids, Body
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012995	Solubility	The ability of a substance to be dissolved, i.e. to form a solution with another substance. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed)	Solubilities
D013054	Spectrophotometry, Atomic	Spectrophotometric techniques by which the absorption or emmision spectra of radiation from atoms are produced and analyzed.	Spectrophotometry, Atomic Absorption,AA Spectrophotometry,AE Spectrophotometry,Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry,Atomic Emission Spectrophotometry,Atomic Spectrophotometry,Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrophotometry,Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy,Spectrophotometry, Atomic Emission,AA Spectrophotometries,AE Spectrophotometries,Absorption Spectrophotometry, Atomic,Emission Spectrophotometry, Atomic,Spectrophotometries, AA,Spectrophotometries, AE,Spectrophotometry, AA,Spectrophotometry, AE
D014131	Trace Elements	A group of chemical elements that are needed in minute quantities for the proper growth, development, and physiology of an organism. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)	Biometal,Biometals,Trace Element,Trace Mineral,Trace Minerals,Element, Trace,Elements, Trace,Mineral, Trace,Minerals, Trace