SILICON ANALYSIS IN BIOLOGICAL SPECIMENS BY DIRECT-CURRENT PLASMA-ATOMIC EMISSION-SPECTROSCOPY

A method for the determination of total elemental silicon concentrations in biological fluids by direct current plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (DCP-AES) is presented. The method is linear up to 30 Aug/mL in blood, serum, plasma, and urine, with a detection limit of 0.2 Aug/mL. Population ranges of silicon concentration in blood, plasma, serum, and urine were found to be less than 0.3 to 33 Aug/mL, less than 0.4 to 39 Aug/mL, less than 0.2 to 68 Aug/mL, and less than 0.3 to 180 Aug/mL, respectively. Over 50% of all measured concentrations were less than 0.5 Aug/mL for blood, plasma, and serum. Estimates of population ranges are reported, and potential applicability of this procedure to silicone-related maladies is discussed. © 1994 Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.