Chapter 14 Speciation analysis of biological, clinical and nutritional samples using plasma spectrometry

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the speciation analysis of biological, clinical, and nutritional samples using plasma spectrometry. The use of plasma spectrochemistry for total elemental analysis is often used to characterize a particular sample as part of an analytical scheme. The molecular species information is purposely destroyed during sample digestion and in the plasma processes of atomization and ionization. However, it is this information which is essential for toxicological and environmental impact assessment. Liquid chromatography (LC), gas chromatography (GC), supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC), and capillary electrophoresis (CE) are versatile techniques, which have been used with element-specific detectors to separate and detect a diverse array of elemental species. Although atomic absorption and atomic fluorescence methods have been used in elemental speciation, the most commonly used element-specific detection techniques are inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP–AES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP–MS). Speciation information may be used to determine the fate of a trace element species in a biological system.