Application Preface

Thallium (Tl) is a rare but widely distributed metallic element, primarily existing in the form of compounds in nature. However, thallium is highly toxic and poses a serious threat to human health. As one of the human excreta, urine composition can reflect the metabolic status of various substances in the human body, including the intake and excretion of toxic elements. Therefore, the determination of thallium in urine is of great significance for evaluating human thallium exposure levels, diagnosing thallium poisoning, and formulating corresponding treatment measures. At present, there are various methods for the determination of thallium in urine, mainly including atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), etc. These methods have their own characteristics, among which ICP-MS has the advantages of simultaneous multi-element analysis and low detection limits. With the continuous advancement of science and technology, new determination methods and techniques continue to emerge to meet different testing needs. This paper focuses on the application of Hansel iQuad 2300 ICP-MS with direct dilution method for the determination of thallium in urine, which can quickly, accurately, and effectively measure thallium in urine.

Conclusions of the Article

The analytical method established using the iQuad2300 has been successfully applied to the routine analysis process of urine samples, making it suitable for analytical laboratories requiring the processing of large sample volumes. The detection limits fully meet analytical requirements. The iQuad2300’s own superior performance and its excellent tolerance for continuous analysis of high-matrix samples endow the system with the required matrix tolerance. Additionally, combined with a fast and simple sample preparation process, this method provides a rapid and accurate analytical tool for urine sample analysis in routine clinical laboratories.

Highlights of the Plan

Since there are no specific standards or requirements for urine determination, the 2300 ICP-MS was used to measure urinary elements in STD operation mode. To evaluate the instrument performance, Table 4 shows the RSD (relative standard deviation) values for repeatability, short-term stability, and long-term stability.

**Spike Recovery Test** To examine the accuracy of this method in actual sample analysis, high-, medium-, and low-concentration spike recovery tests were conducted on urine, as listed in Table 5. The recovery rates of all elements at various concentrations ranged from 92.9% to 102.8%, indicating that the 2300 ICP-MS can analyze thallium in urine with good accuracy.

Article Download