More than tenfold increase of arsenic in serum and packed cells of chronic hemodialysis patients.

Arsenic concentrations were determined in serum and packed cells of 7 chronic hemodialysis patients, in fresh dialysate and in a heparin solution. The analytical technique was radiochemical neutron activation analysis. The accuracy of the method was tested by the analysis of As in certified reference materials. Patients showed elevated serum and packed cell arsenic concentrations compared with controls (serum, range: 2.3-79.8 ng As/ml, median: 11.5 ng As/ml; versus range: 0.132-4.783 ng As/ml, median: 0.38 ng As/ml; packed cells, range: 2.1-68.4 ng As/g, median: 9.5 ng As/g; versus range: 0.51-14.44 ng As/g, median: 3.17 ng As/g). Arsenic concentrations remained unaltered, before versus after a single hemodialysis treatment. The arsenic contents of serum and packed cells were significantly correlated (n = 7, r = 0.96, p < 0.05). No arsenic could be detected in the heparin solution or in the dialysate.