Fluorometry of selenium in human hair, urine and blood. A single-tube process for submicrogram determination of selenium.

This communication introduces a special lyophilization process for selenium determination by fluorometric methods. It permits a small sample volume, with several modifications including a single test tube process. Samples and standard are lyophilized first, then digested with nitric-perchloric acid mixture in a heated sand bath. Selenium is complexed with 2,3-diaminonaphthalene and extracted by n-hexane in the same test tube. The n-hexane layer is transferred to a cuvette and measured fluorometrically. Selenium concentration in healthy children from Long Island (aged 5-18 years) was: hair 0.765 +/- 0.114 microgram/g (n = 52), urine 28.65 +/- 8.27 micrograms/g creatinine (n = 66), and serum 95.4 +/- 14.4 ng/ml (n = 44). The current literature reflects an increase in the role of selenium in human nutrition. Thus, a simple but reliable method for determination of selenium in biological materials is needed in the clinical and research laboratory.