QUANTITATIVE MULTI-ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF HUMAN LIVER-TISSUE BY SPARK-SOURCE MASS-SPECTROMETRY

A procedure is described for the determination of 13 elements in human liver tissue by spark-source mass spectrometry. Spectral interferences are identified and calibration obtained by using carefully formulated synthetic standards. The relative standard deviation of this method is typically ± 9% for replicate analyses of a pooled liver ash obtained by oxygen plasma ashing, and ± 16% for replicate tissue samples taken through the whole analytical procedure. The accuracy of the method was checked by conducting complementary determinations by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Results are presented for the multielement analysis of 15 livers by both methods and compared with literature values. © 1979.