TRACE-ELEMENT ANALYSIS IN BODY-FLUIDS BY GLOW-DISCHARGE MASS-SPECTROMETRY - A STUDY OF LEAD MOBILIZATION BY THE DRUG CISPLATIN

A method is described, using glow discharge mass spectrometry, to measure lead and platinum levels at the p.p.b. level in the urine of patients receiving cancer chemotherapy with the drug cis-platin. Using bismuth added as an internal standard, the method is found to compare very favourably with other quantitative techniques, and requires relatively little sample preparation. The data obtained support the idea that normally stored body lead is displaced by the platinum complexed in the drug, but only to a small extent.