Comparison of methods for the determination of selenium in biological fluids

Abstract

Three methods for the determination of selenium in biological fluid samples have been compared: acid decomposition fluorimetry, hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry and electrothermal atomisation atomic absorption spectrometry. All three methods were used to determine selenium in plasma samples and the hydride generation and fluorimetric methods were also used to determine selenium in water, haemodialysis fluid, urine and whole blood samples. There was no difference between the means of any of the methods and the over-all correlation coefficient for hydride generation versus fluorimetry methods was 0.97. All methods gave accurate results for the certified materials analysed.