Routine measurement of calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc, and iron in urine and serum by inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy.

We describe an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer that has been adapted to perform routine, simultaneous, direct analyses of calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc, and iron in serum or urine without sample digestion or pretreatment. The system, constructed with inexpensive, readily available components, can analyze 1-mL or smaller samples. Results correlate nearly perfectly with those derived by standard atomic absorption techniques (r = 0.98 to 0.997). Using certified serum and urine samples from various sources, we demonstrate that the instrument yields accurate results with a precision better than certified values. The instrument is sensitive to one order of magnitude less than the lower limit of the normal range in serum or urine for all elements tested, and responds linearly to concentrations two orders of magnitude higher than the upper limit of the normal range. With the system described here, these five elements can be assayed with the same or less technical effort than needed for a single element by atomic absorption.