Effect of container material, storage time and temperature on determinations of cadmium levels in human urine.

The effect of container material (polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, borosilicate glass and flint glass), storage time (0-86 days), and temperature (22 degrees and 4 degrees ) on the cadmium content found by graphite-furnace atomic-absorption spectrometry for spiked and unspiked urine samples has been studied. No loss of cadmium occurred for at least 10 and 28 days when unspiked and spiked samples respectively, were stored in polyethylene containers at 22 degrees . For storage up to 3-4 days at 22 degrees , polypropylene, polystyrene, borosilicate glass and flint glass containers were also found suitable. Storage at 4 degrees was not effective in preventing loss of cadmium.