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Biomedical subjects

J M Ottaway

Publications and source records attributed to J M Ottaway.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

An evaluation of the use of electrophoresis and carbon furnace atomic absorption spectrometry to determine the copper level in separated serum protein fractions.

The results of an evaluation of the use of atomic absorption spectrometry with carbon furnace atomisation to analyse the copper content of individual protein fractions separated by electrophoresis is reported. Albumin copper levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis were found to be about 1 to 2% of the total serum copper. Both albumin and alpha 2 levels are affected by contamination from residual copper present on the strip. An investigation of this contamination indicated very low blank copper levels in the areas of the strip containing alpha 1 and beta proteins. These results, and the results of analysis of copper in the ultrafiltrate from the same serum samples, are combined to define the copper distribution in a group of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The determinations that can most readily be carried out by this technique are discussed.

Blood Proteins

Comparison of gold levels and distribution in guinea pig serum.

Serum levels after oral administration of 30 mg/kg of sodium aurothiomalate (Myocrisin), triethylphosphine gold chloride, or triphenylphosphine gold chloride to guinea pigs indicated that all were orally absorbed. However, the serum gold level of triethylphosphine gold chloride was three to four times that of Myocrisin or triphenylphosphine gold chloride and was comparable with the serum level produced when the same dose of Myocrisin was injected intramuscularly. A comparative time-course study between intramuscular administration of Myocrisin and oral administration of triethylphosphine gold chl;ride indicated that during the first 24 hours after intramuscular injection of Myocrisin, a large fraction of the gold was not protein-bound, whereas all detectable gold in serum after oral administration of triethylphosphine gold chloride was protein-bound. Gold levels in the separated protein fractions indicate that the gamma-globulin level after oral administration of triethylphosphine gold chloride is approximately three times higher after 24 hours than with intramuscular Myocrisin.

Administration, Oral

A comparison of tissue gold levels in guinea-pigs after treatment with myocrisin injected intramuscularly and triethylphosphine gold chloride and myocrisin administered orally.

A comparative study of tissue gold levels produced in guinea-pigs after the oral administration of either triethylphosphine gold chloride or Myocrisin (sodium aurothiomalate) or after the injection of Myocrisin intramuscularly is reported. Gold concentrations were determined 5, 24 and 168 hours after administration in stomach, small intestine, large intestine, kidney, liver and spleen and 5 and 24 hours after administration in skin, adrenals, heart, lung and brain. In gastrointestinal tissues, tissue gold concentrations were highest with triethylphosphine gold chloride. The stomach gold level 5 hours after oral administration of triethylphosphine gold chloride is particularly high and, taken in conjunction with the other gastrointestinal gold levels measured, suggests that a stomach rather than an intestinal absorption mechanism may predominate. A more extensive time-course study on kidney and liver is reported and the possible relationship between tissue concentration and toxicity is discussed.

Administration, Oral

Application of blood cadmium analysis to industry using an atomic fluorescence method.

A flame photometric method using atomic fluorescence (AFS) for cadmium (Cd) estimation is described and applied to the measurement of Cd in blood. The AFS system employs a modified, low cost atomic absorption spectrophotometer, with a high intensity Cd light source provided by an electrodeless discharge tube, excited in a thermostatted microwave cavity. The analytical sensitivity of the technique is sufficient to permit dilution (1 in 5) of blood, before aspiration into the air-hydrogen flame. The method is rapid (25 duplicates/hour), and gives acceptable precision (coefficient of variation within batch 2-5%, between batch 8-1%). The method was applied to a reference population and to three different groups of industrial workers. The reference population had a mean blood concentration of 35-1 nmol Cd/litre. Group 1 (general categories of worker) had 65-2 nmol Cd/1, Group 2 (demolition workers), 137-9 nmol Cd/1, and Group 3 (shipbreakers), 105-9 nmol Cd/1. There was a relationship between increases in blood Cd and in blood Pb which was statistically significant for Group 3.

Cadmium

The lead, copper and zinc content of tree rings and bark. A measurement of local metallic pollution.

Analysis of samples of wood taken from different tree rings for lead by atomic absorption spectrometry showed that there was little correlation between the sample site or ring age and air borne lead concentrations. However, the concentration of lead in tree bark at several sites was particularly sensitive to traffic flow at that site. The concentration of lead, zinc and copper in the tree bark decreased with increased distance from the road and with height above the ground. The method offers a simple technique for effectively tracing atmospheric metal concentrations.

Air Pollutants

Determination of cadmium in the livers and kidneys of puffins by carbon furnace atomic absorption spectrometry.

A carbon furnace atomic absorption procedure is described for the determination of cadmium in the livers and kidneys of puffins, fratercula arctica. Samples are dried and weighed and 2 to 100 mg are dissolved in sulphuric and nitric acids. These solutions are analysed directly in the carbon furnace against aqueous standards and provide accurate results in the range 0-1 to 100 micrograms/g dry weight. The method is simple and rapid and requires much less of the small total sample than would be required for flame atomic absorption.

Animals

Modified determination of total and inorganic mercury in urine by cold vapor atomic absorption sectrometry.

In this procedure a single-beam spectrophotometer is used without background correction. By the method of Magos [Analyst (London) 96, 847 (1971)] mercury in undigested urine is complexed to L-cysteine in acid solution. At high pH and in the presence of stannous ions, mercury ions are reduced to elemental mercury. The mercury vapor is partitioned above the reagent solution in a specially designed chemical reduction apparatus similar in principle to that used by Kubasik et al. [Clin. Chem. 18, 1326 (1972)]. The vapor is then flushed by air through an "absorption" cell, where the absorption of the mercury line at 253.7 nm is measured. The value obtained for inorganic mercury subtracted from that for total mercury gives a value for organic mercury. CV's for the inorganic mercury procedure at 40 and 5 mug/liter concentrations were 3.1% and 7.5%, respectively. The detection limit is 0.82 mug/liter. The CV for the total-mercury procedure (20 mug/liter) was 2.6%. Mean analytical recoveries of organic and inorganic mercury were 96.5% and 101%, respectively. We investigated storage conditions for urine and compared results by the present technique with those by activation analysis. Our method is a convenient way to screen individuals who have been exposed to a mercury hazard.

Cold Temperature