Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Determination of cadmium and lead in human biological samples by spectrometric techniques: a review

  • Published:
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The analysis of human biological samples, such as blood, urine, nails, and hair, is generally used for the verification of human exposure to toxic metals. In this review, various spectrometric methods for the determination of cadmium and lead in biological samples are discussed and compared. Several spectrometric techniques are presented and discussed with respect to various characteristics such as sensitivity, selectivity, and cost. Special attention is drawn to the procedures for digestion prior to the determination of cadmium and lead in hair, nails, blood, and urine.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alhas, E., Oymak, S. A., & Akin, H. K. (2009). Heavy metal concentrations in two barb, Barbus xanthopterus and Barbus rajanorum mystaceus from Ataturk Dam Lake, Turkey. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 148(1–4), 11–18.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Amorim, F. A. C., Lobo, I. P., Santos, V. L. C. S., & Ferreira, S. L. C. (2008). Atomic absorption spectrometry: The way for multielement determinations. Química Nova, 31(7), 1784–1790.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Anthemidis, A. N., Arvanitidis, V., & Stratis, J. A. (2005). On-line emulsion formation and multi-element analysis of edible oils by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. Analytica Chimica Acta, 537(1–2), 271–278.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baba, A., Ereeş, F. S., Hıçsönmez, Ü., Çam, S., & Özdılek, H. G. (2008). An assessment of the quality of various bottled mineral water marketed in Turkey. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 139(1–3), 277–285.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Batista, B. L., Rodrigues, J. L., Nunesa, J. A., Tormen, L., Curtius, A. J., & Júnior, F. B. (2008). Simultaneous determination of Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn in nail samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after tetramethylammonium hydroxide solubilization at room temperature: Comparison with ETAAS. Talanta, 76(3), 575–579.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bermejo-Barrera, P., Moreda-Piñeiro, A., Romero-Barbeito, T., Moreda-Piñeiro, J., & Bermejo-Barrera, A. (1996). Use of aqueous slurry sampling for the determination of lead in human hair samples by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. Talanta, 43(7), 1099–1107.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bermejo-Barrera, P., Moreda-Piñeiro, A., & Bermejo-Barrera, A. (2000). Factorial designs for Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb and Se ultrasound-assisted acid leaching from human hair followed by atomic absorption spectrometric determination. Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 15(2), 121–130.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Campillo, N., Viñas, P., López-García, I., & Hernández-Córdoba, M. (1999). Rapid determination of lead and cadmium in biological fluids by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry using Zeeman correction. Analytica Chimica Acta, 390(1–3), 207–215.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cespón-Romero, R. M., & Yebra-Biurrun, M. C. (2007). Flow injection determination of lead and cadmium in hair samples from workers exposed to welding fumes. Analytica Chimica Acta, 600(1–2), 221–225.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chan, M. S., & Huang, S. D. (2000). Direct determination of cadmium and copper in seawater using a transversely heated graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer with Zeeman-effect background corrector. Talanta, 51(2), 373–380.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Christensen, J. M. (1995). Human exposure to toxic metals: Factors influencing interpretation of biomonitoring results. Science of the Total Environment, 166(1–3), 89–135.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Curdová, E., Koplık, R., Matousek, J. P., & Suchánek, M. (2005). Direct determination of cadmium in urine by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry after in situ electrodeposition. Talanta, 67(5), 926–932.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Daftsis, E. J., & Zachariadis, G. A. (2007). Analytical performance of ETAAS method for Cd, Co, Cr and Pb determination in blood fractions samples. Talanta, 71(2), 722–730.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dessuy, M. B., Vale, M. G. R., Souza, A. S., Ferreira, S. L. C., Welz, B., & Katskov, D. A. (2008). Method development for the determination of lead in wine using electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry comparing platform and filter furnace atomizers and different chemical modifiers. Talanta, 74(5), 1321–1329.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Divrikli, U., Soylak, M., & Elçi, L. (2002). Chromium, iron and lead determinations by atomic absorption spectrometry in urine after enrichment on cellulose nitrate membrane filter system. Trace Elements and Electrolytes, 19(4), 177–181.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duran, A., Tuzen, M., & Soylak, M. (2009). Trace metal contents in chewing gums and candies marketed in Turkey. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 149(1–4), 283–289.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gama, E. M., Lima, A. D., & Lemos, V. A. (2006). Preconcentration system for cadmium and lead determination in environmental samples using polyurethane foam/Me-BTANC. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 136(3), 757–762.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • González-Muñoz, M. J., Pena, A., & Meseguer, I. (2008). Monitoring heavy metal contents in food and hair in a sample of young Spanish subjects. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 46(9), 3048–3052.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gulson, B. L. (1996). Nails: Concern over their use in lead exposure assessment. Science of the Total Environment, 177(1–3), 323–327.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Júnior, F. B., Tanus-Santos, J. E., Gerlach, R. F., & Parsons, P. J. (2005). A critical review of biomarkers used for monitoring human exposure to lead: Advantages, limitations, and future needs. Environmental Health Perspectives, 113(12), 1669–1674.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kahen, K., Strubinger, A., Chirinos, J. R., & Montaser, A. (2003). Direct injection high efficiency nebulizer-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for analysis of petroleum samples. Spectrochimica Acta, Part B, 58(3), 397–413.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kazi, T. G., Memon, A. R., Afridi, H. I., Jamali, M. K., Arain, M. B., Jalbani, N., et al. (2008). Determination of cadmium in whole blood and scalp hair samples of Pakistani male lung cancer patients by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometer. Science of the Total Environment, 389(2–3), 270–276.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kummrow, F., Silva, F. F., Kuno, R., Souza, A. L., & Oliveira, P. V. (2008). Biomonitoring method for the simultaneous determination of cadmium and lead in whole blood by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry for assessment of environmental exposure. Talanta, 75(1), 246–252.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lemos, V. A., Da Silva, D. G., De Carvalho, A. L., Santana, D. A., Novaes, G. D., & Passos, A. S. (2006). Synthesis of amberlite XAD-2-PC resin for preconcentration and determination of trace elements in food samples by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Microchemical Journal, 84(1–2), 14–21.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lemos, V. A., Novaes, G. S., de Carvalho, A. L., Gama, E. L., & Santos, A. G. (2009). Determination of copper in biological samples by flame atomic absorption spectrometry after precipitation with Me-BTAP. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 148(1–4), 245–253.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maciel, C. J. C., Miranda, G. M., de Oliveira, D. P., Siqueira, M. E. P. B., Silveira, J. N., Leite, E. M. A., et al. (2003). Determination of cadmium in human urine by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. Analytica Chimica Acta, 491(2), 231–237.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Manzoori, J. L., & Bavili-Tabrizi, A. (2002). Cloud point preconcentration and flame atomic absorption spectrometric determination of Cd and Pb in human hair. Analytica Chimica Acta, 470(2), 215–221.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maranhão, T. A., Martendal, E., Borges, D. L. G., Carasek, E., Welz, B., & Curtius, A. J. (2007). Cloud point extraction for the determination of lead and cadmium in urine by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry with multivariate optimization using Box–Behnken design. Spectrochimica Acta, Part B, 62(9), 1019–1027.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mendil, D., Tuzen, M., Usta, C., & Soylak, M. (2008). Bacillus thuringiensis var israelensis immobilized on Chromosorb 101: A new solid phase extractant for preconcentration of heavy metal ions in environmental samples. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 150(2), 357–363.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moreira, F. R., & Moreira, J. C. (2004). The significance of lead speciation analysis in blood plasma for health risk assessment. Química Nova, 27(2), 251–260.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mortada, W. I., Sobh, M. A., El-Defrawy, M. M., & Farahat, S. E. (2002). Reference intervals of cadmium, lead, and mercury in blood, urine, hair, and nails among residents in Mansoura City, Nile Delta, Egypt. Environmental Research Section A, 90(2), 104–110.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Narin, I., & Soylak, M. (2003). Enrichment and determinations of nickel(II), cadmium(II), copper(II), cobalt(II) and lead(II) ions in natural waters, table salts, tea and urine samples as pyrrolydine dithiocarbamate chelates by membrane filtration–flame atomic absorption spectrometry combination. Analytica Chimica Acta, 493(2), 205–212.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nowak, B., & Chmielnicka, J. (2000). Relationship of lead and cadmium to essential elements in hair, teeth, and nails of environmentally exposed people. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 46(3), 265–274.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Özden, T. A., Gökçay, G., Ertem, H. V., Süoğlu, Ö. D., Kılıç, A., Sökücü, S., et al. (2007). Elevated hair levels of cadmium and lead in school children exposed to smoking and in highways near schools. Clinical Biochemistry, 40(1–2), 52–56.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Parsons, P. J., & Slavin, W. (1999). Electrothermal atomization atomic absorption spectrometry for the determination of lead in urine: Results of an interlaboratory study. Spectrochimica Acta Part B, 54(5), 853–864.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodrigues, J. L., Batista, B. L., Nunes, J. A., Passos, C. J., & Barbosa, F. (2008). Evaluation of the use of human hair for biomonitoring the deficiency of essential and exposure to toxic elements. Science of the Total Environment, 405(1–3), 370–376.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saint Pierre, T. D., Dias, L. F., Maia, S. M., & Curtius, A. J. (2004). Determination of Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb in gasoline as emulsion by electrothermal vaporization ICP-MS with analyte addition and isotope dilution calibration techniques. Spectrochimica Acta Part B, 59(4), 551–558.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shariati, S., Yamini, Y., & Zanjani, M. K. (2008). Simultaneous preconcentration and determination of U(VI), Th(IV), Zr(IV) and Hf(IV) ions in aqueous samples using micelle-mediated extraction coupled to inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 156(1–3), 583–590.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Souza, A. S., Dos Santos, W. N. L., & Ferreira, S. L. C. (2005). Application of Box–Behnken design in the optimisation of an on-line pre-concentration system using knotted reactor for cadmium determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Spectrochimica Acta, Part B, 60(5), 737–742.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, V. M., Socolow, R. H., Fanelli, J. J., & Spiro, T. G. (1999). Effects of reducing lead in gasoline: An analysis of the international experience. Environmental Science and Technology, 33(22), 3942–3948.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Viksna, A., & Lindgren, E. S. (1997). Determination of lead and cadmium in whole blood of mothers and their babies. Analytica Chimica Acta, 353(2–3), 307–311.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vinceti, M., Venturelli, M., Sighinolfi, C., Trerotoli, P., Bonvicini, F., Ferrari, A., et al. (2007). Case–control study of toenail cadmium and prostate cancer risk in Italy. Science of the Total Environment, 373(1), 77–81.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, J., Hansen, E. H., & Gammelgaard, B. (2001). Flow injection on-line dilution for multi-element determination in human urine with detection by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Talanta, 55(1), 117–126.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Were, F. H., Njue, W., Murungi, J., & Wanjau, R. (2008). Use of human nails as bio-indicators of heavy metals environmental exposure among school age children in Kenya. Science of the Total Environment, 393(2–3), 376–384.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou, Y., Parsons, P. J., Aldous, K. M., Brockman, P., & Slavin, W. (2002). Rhodium as permanent modifier for atomization of lead from biological fluids using tungsten filament electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. Spectrochimica Acta, Part B, 57(4), 727–740.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratório de Química Analítica (LQA), Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia, Campus de Jequié, Jequié, Bahia, Brazil, 45.206-190

    Valfredo Azevedo Lemos & Anaildes Lago de Carvalho

Authors
  1. Valfredo Azevedo Lemos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Anaildes Lago de Carvalho
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Valfredo Azevedo Lemos.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lemos, V.A., de Carvalho, A.L. Determination of cadmium and lead in human biological samples by spectrometric techniques: a review. Environ Monit Assess 171, 255–265 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-009-1276-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-009-1276-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation