PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R Dams

Publications and source records attributed to R Dams.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Use of 191Pt radiotracer for the development of enrichment procedures to detect natural levels of platinum in biological and environmental materials.

The 191Pt-radiotracer is a powerful tool to develop separation and preconcentration methods for Pt. The radiotracer was produced either through 190Pt (n, gamma) 191Pt reaction on Pt enriched in 190Pt, or through 191Ir (p,n) 191Pt reaction on natural Ir, followed by Pt/Ir separation. The solvent extraction behavior of 191Pt(IV) from HCl with tributylphosphate, rubeanic acid in tributylphosphate and thenoyltrifluoroacetone in n-butylalcohol/acetophenone, followed by back-extraction with 2 mol/L NH4OH was studied. The overall recovery from a biological matrix is up to 80%. Trace amounts of 191Pt were also preconcentrated as bis-(carboxymethyl) dithiocarbamate chelates on an XAD-4 microcolumn and eluted with EtOH/1 mol/L HNO3. More than 80% is recovered in 2 mL or about 70% in 300 microL.

Chromatography, Ion Exchange↗

RNAA as compared to ICP-MS for the analysis of normal human serum.

The merits of radiochemical neutron activation analysis (RNAA) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) are critically discussed for the determination of trace and ultratrace elements in normal human serum. For RNAA, two semiautomated procedures, allowing the determination of up to 18 elements, are briefly described. ICP-MS has a series of interesting features for the determination of trace elements. Matrix and spectral interferences can mostly be avoided or corrected for. After a simple 5- or 10-fold dilution and addition of an internal standard, more than 20 elements can be measured precisely and accurately.

Blood Chemical Analysis↗

Radioiodination of 2'-deoxyuridine: preparation and preliminary evaluation in tumour-bearing rats.

A simple rapid procedure, using a Iodo-bead as oxidizing agent, has been developed for labelling 2'-deoxyuridine on the 5-position of the base with 123I. The labelling yield exceeds 60% and the total production time amounts to only 1 h. Biodistribution studies with 5-[123I]iodo-2'-deoxyuridine on tumour-bearing rats showed an important uptake of activity in tissue with a high cell proliferation rate (tumour, intestine) and in the liver.

Animals↗

Bismuth in human serum: reference interval and concentrations after intake of a therapeutic dose of colloidal bismuth subcitrate.

A sensitive method for the determination of the bismuth concentration in human serum is described. Analyses were carried out by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), after a simple dilution of the samples with nitric acid. The detection limit of the applied method is 0.007 microgram/l whereas relative standard deviations varied from 5.7 to 13.6%. Determination of reference values in human serum of healthy adults gave a range from < 0.007 to 0.067 microgram/l (19 persons). Bismuth concentrations in serum were also measured before, during and after the intake of therapeutic doses of colloidal bismuth subcitrate (CBS). About 1.5-2 h after the intake of one tablet of CBS, the bismuth concentration in serum was found to have increased 51-1483 times (two apparently healthy volunteers and six hospitalized patients), showing that the serum bismuth concentrations can increase by several orders of magnitude during the intake of CBS. During the intake of four tablets of CBS per day by two apparently healthy volunteers, bismuth concentrations in serum after an overnight fast were found to be, respectively, 5.56 and 8.1 micrograms/l on day 15 and 4.28 and 13.6 micrograms/l on day 29. After stopping the therapy, the concentration of bismuth in serum slowly returned towards normal over a period of months.

Adult↗

Effect of solvent type on the determination of total iodine in milk powder and human serum by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

A method for the determination of the total iodine content in milk powder and human serum by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry is described. It is shown that the oxidation state of the analyte has a strong impact on the analytical performance. If iodine is present as iodide and nitric acid is used for acidification, the observed ion signal is not stable and samples spiked with iodide yield erroneous recoveries up to 750%. Hence, as the iodine in milk powder is present almost exclusively as iodide, destruction of the sample with nitric acid is not suitable. It was found that such an excessive spike recovery does not occur if ammonia solution instead of nitric acid is used as the diluent. The proposed sample preparation was tested by analysing three reference milk powders, namely Certified Reference Materials 150 and 151 Spiked Skim Milk Powder (from the Community Bureau of Reference) and Standard Reference Material 1549 Non-Fat Milk Powder (from the National Institute of Standards and Technology). Good agreement with the certified values was obtained, indicating that no significant errors are introduced. For human serum, samples treated with nitric acid or with ammonia solution gave results that were not significantly different from each other. Results are given for both a 'second-generation' biological reference material, Freeze-Dried Human Serum (University of Ghent), and for sera from healthy individuals.

Animals↗

Determination of trace amounts of cadmium, lead, copper and zinc in natural waters by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry with thermospray nebulisation, after enrichment on Chelex-100.

Enrichment on Chelex-100, followed by evaporation when necessary, was used for the pre-concentration of Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn from natural waters. The measurements were carried out with inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry using a thermospray nebulisation system to reach the required sensitivity. The detection limits corresponding to three times the standard deviation of the blank (in 1% v/v HNO3) after a 30-fold enrichment are 0.02 microgram l-1 for Cd, 0.33 microgram l-1 for Pb and 0.03 microgram l-1 for Cu and Zn. Matrix effects, which are fairly serious with thermospray nebulisation, were taken into account by using the standard additions method. Results obtained for several river water samples were compared with those found by analysis of the non-enriched sample with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry or graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. In all instances the agreement was satisfactory.

Cadmium↗

Determination of iron, cobalt, copper, zinc, rubidium, molybdenum, and cesium in human serum by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

A method was developed for the determination of seven trace elements (Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Rb, Mo, and Cs) in human serum by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Sample preparation was kept as limited as possible. As the only sample pretreatment serum samples were diluted with nitric acid and indium was added as an internal standard. The results for iron, cobalt, copper, and zinc were corrected for interferences from polyatomic ions by using a blank solution containing the same concentration of sodium, sulfur, chlorine, and calcium as human serum. For copper and zinc the corrections are small, whereas for iron and cobalt they are important. No interferences occur for the considered isotopes of rubidium, molybdenum, and cesium. In order to test the accuracy and precision of the analytical technique, a "second-generation biological reference material (human serum)" was analyzed. The results obtained by ICP-MS for the seven elements considered showed good agreement with the certified values.

Humans↗

Element concentrations in the air of an indoor shooting range.

Elemental emissions during firing in a shooting range were measured for different types of ammunition. When using Hirtenberger bullets, lead, barium, antimony and to a lesser extent copper and arsenic were the primary metal pollutants. Stationary sampling at three locations in the range did not reveal large concentration gradients. Large concentration variations were observed by sampling before, during and after shooting. Lead and antimony concentrations peak at 5060 and 119 micrograms m-3, respectively. Soil elements such as aluminium, sodium and calcium are enriched during shooting, probably due to soil resuspension by the shooters and the bullets hitting the sand backstop. After shooting has ceased the concentrations fall to within pre-shooting levels within a couple of hours. Measurement of the aerodynamic particle size shows low mass median diameters for the elements emitted during firing and larger diameters for the soil-associated elements. The peak airborne concentrations measured by stationary sampling, and human exposure measured by a personal sampler carried by an instructor were compared with threshold limit values. During the shooting the TLV is significantly exceeded for lead.

Air↗

Evaluation of trace elements in human lung tissue. II. Recovery and analysis of inhaled particulates.

Inhaled particulate material, deposited in the lungs of eight Belgian individuals, is differentiated from the tissue with a digestion procedure using the enzyme ficin. This method is simple and efficient and yields a small amount of insoluble dust. The total element concentration of the tissue samples was determined by neutron activation analysis. The radioactive residues obtained after the digestion of the tissue were counted and are considered to represent the insoluble dust fraction. A major part of the Co, Cr, Sb and Sc was recovered in the residues, but only small fractions of the Cs, Rb and Zn. These findings confirm the assumption that Co, Cr, Sb and Sc are enriched in the lungs as a result of the accumulation of atmospheric contaminants. Further proof can be derived from the analogy between the elemental composition of the residue and that of atmospheric particulate matter collected in Belgium.

Adolescent↗

Survey of total and respirable suspended particulate matter in an iron foundry. Comparison of stationary sampling and personal monitoring.

In the workshop of an iron foundry total and respirable suspended particulate matter was collected. The performances of (1) filtration systems with 47 mm membrane filters, (2) Andersen cascade impactors, and (3) personal total or respirable monitoring, were compared at a position away from intense sources of particulate debris. Using 15 stationary samplers a survey was made of the particulate levels in the workshop, over a period of 2 weeks. Very large concentration gradients and concentration variations as a function of time were measured for total suspended particulate matter. In the three major source areas, i.e. the pouring department, the core-making department and the shake-out department, special studies were performed to compare stationary and personal monitoring. In the immediate vicinity of intense point sources of coarse particles, such as core-making or shake-out, stationary sampling cannot be used to estimate the personal exposure to total suspended particulates. For respirable particles, however, one or two well-situated stationary size-selective samplers can provide a good estimate of the personal exposure as measured with a personal respirable monitor. The differences found are in the order of 10-20%.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗