Procedimiento de validación de un método para cuantificar mercurio en sangre por espectroscopía de absorción atómica con descomposición térmica y amalgamación

Resumen

Mercury is an environmental toxicant that causes numerous adverse effects in human health and natural ecosystems. The excessive methyl-mercury intake due to consumption of contaminated fish leads to neurological, reproductive and cardiovascular toxicity. The aim of this study is to validate a method for measuring mercury in blood samples by thermal decomposition, amalgamation and atomic absorption spectrometry. The detection and quantification limits were 0.103 y 0.313 μg/L, respectively. The analytical sensitivity was 12080 μAbs/ng Hg. The calibration curve is linear between 0 and 100 μg/L. The slope of the standard addition curve is within the confidence interval of the calibration curve using aqueous standards, meaning that there is no matrix effect. The precision and accuracy were tested using Seronorm® Trace Elements Whole Blood reference material. The mean recovery was 97.36% The proposed method shows to be sensitive, robust, accurate, and precise for biomonitoring the concentration of mercury in blood samples as an indicator of health risk.