Laboratory biochemical analysis test tubes

App Note

Run Toxic, Nutritional, and Implant Markers in a Single Urine Panel

Eliminate acid digestion and spectral interferences using multi-quadrupole ICP-MS for complex biological matrices

Written byPerkinElmer

Multi-element urine panels typically involve separate analytical runs—one for trace toxics, another for nutritional elements, potentially a third for implant monitoring markers.

Elemental analysis of urine thumbnail image

This application note demonstrates how extended dynamic range inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) consolidates these panels into a single two-minute method. The NexION 5000 measures beryllium at 0.0004 µg/L alongside magnesium at mg/L levels using simple 1:10 dilution. The method handles toxic metals (Pb, As, Hg, Cd), essential nutrients (Zn, Cu, Se, Mg), and implant markers like cobalt in one run.

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Learn how dilute-and-shoot sample prep replaces acid digestion to reduce prep time and contamination risk
See how MS/MS modes with NH₃ and O₂ reaction gases eliminate argon-, chloride-, and oxide-based interferences
Use detection limits and recovery data to evaluate whether this consolidated approach fits your clinical workflow

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A P P L I C A T I O N N O T E

AUTHOR: Joerg Michel, Ph.D.
PerkinElmer
Rodgau, Germany

Introduction

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has emerged as the preferred method for detecting trace-level amounts of elements like lead (Pb), arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), and copper (Cu) in bodily fluids such as urine, blood, saliva, and tissue. Through the analysis of individual elements or panels of both harmful and beneficial substances, medical professionals gain crucial insights into patients’ health conditions. Researchers have uncovered significant associations between essential elements and various health conditions, metabolic irregularities, environmental impacts, and dietary patterns. Additionally, with the rising popularity of orthopedic implants, elements like titanium (Ti) and cobalt (Co) have also been added to the list of commonly examined analytes. Although these elements aren't inherently deemed as essential or harmful, they provide valuable information to healthcare providers regarding the degradation of implants.

Analyzing trace elements in urine using ICP-MS presents a challenge, given the complex composition of the matrix. Human urine contains abundant urea, uric acid, proteins, fats, sodium, potassium, hydrogen carbonate, and chloride, making it a challenging matrix to analyze. These components can cause signal suppression as well as signal drift due to matrix deposits on the interface.

The NexION® 5000 multi-quadrupole ICP-MS features two full-resolution analyzer quadrupoles and Universal Cell Technology (UCT) to eliminate spectral interferences, using Collision and Reaction cell modes. The main advantage of the multi-quadrupole feature is the ability to select the mass of interest using the first transmission analyzer quadrupole (Q1), rejecting all other masses, in conjunction with the Universal Cell (Q2) that can eliminate on-mass interferences or react the analyte of interest with a gas to mass shift it to a higher mass, free of interferences, unleashing MS/MS or Mass Shift scan modes of operation.

Run Toxic, Nutritional, and Implant Markers in a Single Urine Panel

Eliminate acid digestion and spectral interferences using multi-quadrupole ICP-MS for complex biological matrices

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